Washington: A book is one of the most essential item to pack for a long flight. However, soon passengers may have to remove them from their hand luggage when passing through airport security, media reports said. The Telegraph reported that security staff at certain US airports have started for items made of paper at checkpoints under a pilot scheme that could see screening measures for US flights become ever more invasive.
Passengers in Missouri and a few other test airports, including Los Angeles, Detroit, Boston and others, were made to undergo separate checks for books and food items last month. The screenings reportedly began in May, but have since then expanded to more airports, the Sacramento Bee said. Passengers screened under the new process were asked to take all reading material and food out of their carry-on luggage and place them in a separate bin.
Officials of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) told the Bee that some books make it difficult to see the contents of a bag with X-ray machines. They also said agents only fan through books to check for hidden weapons and other contraband without reading the content. “It’s always been a series of insults,” Julie Sze, a University of California professor who experienced the test procedure at Sacramento, told The Bee. “Books, magazines, food, those are like my three treasured things. It feels personal on a whole different level.”
Last week the Wall Street Journal had reported that TSA officials had said screeners will be more engaged with passengers at the tables where people put items into bins before passing through the X-ray machines. Officials told the Journal that some items, such as chocolate and books, are dense and can obscure other items when passing through the X-ray.
