FAA Issues New Search Guidelines

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The government has provided new guidance for the nation's airlines regarding the searches of all electronic devices, according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesman Paul Turk.

Turk said the FAA issued additional guidance to airlines in the past week regarding searches of all electronic devices. He said that -- among other devices -- pagers, cell phones, computers, even electric toothbrushes would be subject to possible examination before boarding flights.

Besides basic x-raying scrutiny, a source said some devices would also be subjected to explosive trace detector testing, or ETD, in which a screening agent wipes a swab on the device and places it in an analysis machine. The machine tests the swab for explosives and produces a printout that can identify the traces of explosives found, if any.

Some passengers at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport said the inspection of the devices caused long delays Saturday morning.

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