Better Education, Or Looking For Less?

Are passengers becoming better educated about what they can and can't take on a commercial airliner... or is it that security agents today aren't looking for as many of those "hazardous" items? In either case, the Transportation Security Administration reports that screeners doled out 54 percent fewer fines in 2005 than the year before, when the agency's strict "no tolerance" policy went into effect.

USA Today reports the TSA issued 4,459 fines against passengers in 2005, most of whom attempted to bring items classified as weapons or other dangerous items onboard a plane. In 2004, the agency doled out 9,741 such fines... but that was the year the TSA cracked down on passengers who was caught with ANY threatening item, such as a small pocketknife or a screwdriver, on their body or inside their carryon luggage.

Last year, however, the TSA relaxed that policy -- officially, so screeners could concentrate on finding items more likely to pose a threat to an airliner, such as explosive devices (unofficially, several passengers -- and Congress -- complained about unequal enforcement of the "no tolerance" policy, as well as the heavy-handed tactics sometimes used by screeners.)

As Aero-News reported, in December the TSA issued new guidelines for what passengers could and could not bring with them on an airliner. Small tools and scissors, once banned items, are now permitted.

As far as that small knife... passengers will now receive a warning letter instead of a fine, according to TSA spokeswoman Yolanda Clark... unless the TSA believes the passenger was attempting to conceal the object.

It stands to reason, then, that as screeners fine passengers for fewer items, the number of fines should also go down, which they did in 2005 -- but last year still saw over 1,000 more fines issued than in 2003, before the "no tolerance" policy went into effect.

The TSA believes education is the key to the decline in the number of fines. "The public has been getting better about what not to bring to the checkpoints," said TSA Assistant Chief Council Salomon Gomez. "TSA has also gotten better. We've focused more on what will really take down a plane."

Of course, several items are still banned in the cabin. Don't try to sneak flammable items onboard the plane, for example... and leave your martial-arts weapons, hammers, and drills at home. Sporting equipment such as hockey and lacrosse sticks, and pool cues should be packed in your checked luggage.

While the number of fines declined in 2005, the amount of items seized by the TSA shot up dramatically in 2005 -- mostly because the TSA banned lighters onboard planes.

FMI: www.tsa.gov