[pct-l] TSA May Loosen Ban on Razorblades, Knives

[pmags at yahoo.com (Paul Magnanti)]

As well as ice picks (read ice axes, too)

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TSA May Loosen Ban on Razorblades, Knives

By HOPE YEN, Associated Press Writer

Sunday, August 14, 2005
 

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(08-14) 13:51 PDT WASHINGTON (AP) --

The federal agency in charge of aviation security is
considering major changes in how it screens airline
passengers, including proposals that an official said
would lift the ban on carrying razorblades and small
knives as well as limit patdown searches.

The Transportation Security Administration will meet
later this month to discuss the plan, which is
designed to reduce checkpoint hassles for the nation's
2 million passengers. It comes after TSA's new head,
Edmund S. "Kip" Hawley, called for a broad review in
hopes of making airline screening more
passenger-friendly.

An initial set of staff recommendations drafted Aug. 5
also proposes that passengers no longer have to
routinely remove their shoes during security checks.
Instead, only passengers who set off metal detectors,
are flagged by a computer screening system or look
"reasonably suspicious" would be asked to do so, a TSA
official said Saturday.

Any of the changes proposed by the staff, which also
would allow scissors, ice picks and bows and arrows on
flights, would require Hawley's approval, this
official said, requesting anonymity because there has
been no final decision.

"The process is designed to stimulate creative
thinking and challenge conventional beliefs," said
Mark Hatfield, TSA's spokesman. "In the end, it will
allow us to work smarter and better as we secure
America's transportation system."

The Aug. 5 memo recommends reducing patdowns by giving
screeners the discretion not to search those wearing
tight-fitting clothes. It also suggests exempting
several categories of passengers from screening,
including federal judges, members of Congress, Cabinet
members, state governors, high-ranking military
officers and those with high-level security
clearances.

The proposed changes were first reported by The
Washington Post on Saturday.

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On the Net:

Transportation Security Administration:

Homeland Security Department:

www.tsa.gov

www.dhs.gov


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