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Updated Sunday, December 27, 2009 11:49 am TWN, The China Post news staff

Passengers undergo increased security on U.S.-bound flights

From now until Dec. 30, passengers traveling to the U.S. or flying U.S.-owned airlines should arrive at the airport 90 minutes prior to the scheduled flight in order to undergo special security checks before boarding.

Due to the attempted terrorist attack on a Detroit-bound Delta/Northwest Airlines flight on Dec. 25, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued the emergency order requiring all U.S.-bound flights and U.S. airlines to enforce additional security checks at the flight gate; The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) of the Ministry of Transportation announced that Taiwan has implemented the measure as of yesterday.

The security check will include screening passengers and their carry-on baggage to detect any abnormal liquids, gels or aerosols.

Furthermore, airlines with U.S.-bound flights such as China Airlines and EVA have requested that travelers flying to the United States must arrive 90 minutes before boarding the plane as they will be sequestered into a waiting room to undergo a second security check.

In addition, the U.S. government emergency order stipulated that an hour before the flight lands, passengers must not leave their seats or open the carry-on storage compartment above them; In other words, if you need to fetch your toiletries or organize personal carry-on baggage, be sure to do so an hour before landing. Passengers are expected to be understanding of the inconvenience as they enforce security and safety.

On Christmas Day, a Northwest Airlines flight from the Netherlands to Detroit encountered a “failed bomb attack” when a passenger — who U.S. law enforcement officials identified as a Nigerian man named Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab — tried to detonate an explosive device. Fortunately, the explosion — which triggered a fire — was immediately extinguished and none of the 278 passengers and 11 crew aboard was seriously hurt.

According to Associated Press (AP) reports, Mutallab claimed to have acted on instructions from al-Qaida although the White House has thus far set the tone of the incident as an attempted attack.

Components of the explosive device — which AP reports indicate, contained powder that required mixing — were successfully smuggled onto the plane, evading screening and detection. This caused U.S. President Obama to order increased security for air travel.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued “aviation emergency amendments” will be implemented from now until December 30; All those boarding flights to the United States as well as passengers on U.S.-owned airlines must arrive early at the gates for additional security checks.

The CAA said that individual airlines can provide answers to questions regarding passenger screening methods; the administration also advised passengers to keep carry-on baggage as simple and light as possible to ensure speedier security checks.

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	Passengers at Taoyuan International Airport undergo additional security checks prior to boarding their flight. The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) yesterday implemented a security order requiring all U.S.-bound flights to enforce additional security checks at the gate from now until Dec. 30. (CNA) Enlarge Photo


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