In his testimony last month before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Charlie Leocha, Director of the Consumer Travel Alliance, mentioned an issue that the organization has spent months discussing on Capitol Hill — rescreening of international baggage by TSA; even baggage that has already been screened by TSA in Canada and many European countries.
This procedure has been in place since 9/11 because of a Congressional mandate, not because of TSA paranoia. It is a prime example of how difficult it is to change legislation, even well-meaning legislation with bad unintended consequences. This process of trying to reverse the law has been going on for years.
Finally, Congress has taken the common-sense action to stop the rescreening operations. Now, it is up to the Secretary of Transportation and TSA to make the decision to allow baggage already screened at international destinations to be allowed to be transferred to US domestic flights without being rescreened.
The “No-Hassle Flying Act” gives the Transportation Security Administration the authority to waive rescreening requirements for flights from international airports that install U.S.-equivalent baggage scanning processes and equipment.
It has yet to be decided which airports will qualify, but a likely starting point will be 14 airports in Canada, Ireland and the Caribbean where the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency already inspects and clears commercial air passengers. Currently, passengers arriving from those airports need not undergo another physical security check upon arriving in the United States, but their bags must still be transported to TSA facilities for screening using explosives detection system equipment before they can board another flight for their next U.S. destination.
“This is a smart, efficient way to streamline travel, boost tourism and lower costs while maintaining the highest security standards,” said Nicholas E. Calio, president and CEO of Airlines for America, the trade organization for leading U.S. airlines.
Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 14 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation, and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.
