Flying to the United States is about to get more inconvenient, all in the name of security.
New security measures take effect today at airports around the world, impacting about 2,100 flights daily, a TSA spokesperson says.
The new measures—which include additional scrutiny of electronic devices and short interviews of passengers—apply to both American citizens and foreigners traveling on all U.S.-bound flights.
The interviews could differ from one airline to another. Most airlines say they’re ready to handle the new measures though some officials worry a major increase in passenger interviews could slow the boarding process and lead to flight delays.
Today marks the end of a 120-day deadline set when the Trump administration announced enhanced screening procedures for U.S.-bound flights.
The new measures take the place of a ban on laptops in the cabins of planes coming from 10 airports in eight predominantly Muslim countries: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Morocco. The ban was announced in March and grew out of fear that terrorists could hide a bomb inside a laptop, but it was unpopular with passengers who had to place their electronics in checked baggage. It was dropped in July.
