Battle Creek resident David Bartlett, left, and Richland resident Jody Alger sit in Cafe LAN on Monday waiting for their flight to Fort Benning, Ga., where they will begin basic training for the Army at the Lansing Capital Region International Airport in Lansing.
In the wake of the Dec. 25, 2009 airplane bombing attempt near Detroit, the federal government has altered the way it screens and protects airline passengers, but students should not expect longer waits at security checkpoints.
Despite the increased attention to safety, it shouldn’t affect the time it takes travelers to board their plane, said Robert Selig, executive director of the Capital Region International Airport in Lansing.
“It’s not going to slow anything up,” he said. “Our focus here with TSA is customer service and moving people through the process as quickly as possible. You shouldn’t expect any delay here like they’re experiencing in Detroit.”
Although the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, has withheld details on specific changes, students departing for spring break trips can expect stricter enforcement of existing rules, Selig said.
Security officials could perform more thorough and frequent inspections of luggage, and passengers might experience more individual searches when going through security, he said.
Selig said cooperative travelers shouldn’t spend more than a few minutes making their way through airport security, even with individual searches being taken into consideration.
“If they do it right and they get with the program. … They’ll go right through,” he said. “Even the additional screening, you’re talking five minutes.”
Criminal justice senior Bri Monzo said she won’t be stressed if passing through security does become a struggle, because it’s more likely to be the time of the year rather than security itself.
“That’s probably more (travelers) just because of spring break and everybody traveling,” Monzo said.
Although the increased safety measures might be an inconvenience to hospitality business senior Mike Parker, he said he understands the government’s need to make sure plane travel is secure.
“Whatever needs to be done for safety, it needs to be done,” Parker said. “(But) more and more it gets down to it I would rather just drive.”
To keep the process as simple as possible, Selig said travelers should remove all metal objects from luggage and make sure all liquids are placed in proper containers.
Travelers who don’t cooperate with safety measures such as removing shoes or putting liquids in containers are the reason security checks can last as long as they do, Selig said.
“That’s what slows everything down is when people show up and for whatever reason they don’t want to take off their shoes,” he said. “Don’t let it bother you and don’t let it ruin your trip. But if it really does bother you then it’s not going to change because you’re upset.”
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