Travel: USA changes the rules again

Announced without warning, new rules came into effect yesterday: but although they appear clear, in operation, they are anything but.

First, the rules are selective: as from yesterday, anyone flying from a country which the US designates as a "state sponsor of terror," must undergo additional security checks. But the issue is widened to "countries of interest" placing 13 countries under additional security burdens.

Also, any person flying through such a country is subject to those measures.

The USA has named Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria as state sponsors of terrorism. The "countries of interest" are Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen.

The rules will affect transit passengers originating in those countries and so will spread across the international air network.

The rules include so-called "pat downs" which are intended to detect material or devices strapped to the body and additional bag searches at the gate, particularly for those passengers considered to be a potential risk.

The new rules are causing chaos at airports: reports published in the Nigerian press say that passengers scheduled to fly direct to Atlanta, Georgia, USA were contacted and instructed to report to the airport seven hours before their flight.

The TSA has also told airlines that they should "consider" instructing passengers to remain seated for periods after take off, before landing and when flying over potential targets, to tell passengers to turn off and put away personal stereo and other devices and to put all personal effects in overhead lockers.

The TSA statement holds out no hope that US bound flights will become any less fraught for passengers saying "new directive includes long-term, sustainable security measures."

It says "The directive also increases the use of enhanced screening technologies and mandates threat-based and random screening for passengers on U.S. bound international flights."

However, it is unlikely that the US actually means "random" and that there will be increased scrutiny of those that the US opines meet their profile of "terrorist."