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TSA: No Fruitcake
Aired December 31, 2002 - 14:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Countdown at the nation's airports: starting at midnight, all checked bags will have to be screened for explosives.
CNN's Patty Davis live at Reagan National Airport near Washington to tell us about it -- Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, a big deadline, and the Transportation Security Administration says that it is ready. Big bomb detection machines in place at airports across the country. Some in airport lobbies, as here at Reagan National Airport. Also some behind the scenes at other airports. Jacksonville, Florida, for instance, has an in-line system.
Trace detection machines also. Those are where they swab your bag. Those are being used as a backup to these big bomb detection machines, also being used on their own at some airports. And for some of the airports that couldn't make that deadline -- now, with those big bomb detection machines, they will still have to do 100 percent bag search with bomb sniffing dogs and even hand searches as well. This could really slow down your travel at airports over the next few weeks as the TSA works out the kinks, and the TSA says you should give yourself a little extra time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT JOHNSON, TSA SPOKESMAN: Security is no longer a spectator sport. You can't sit on the sidelines, show up at the airport late, and go on autopilot thinking this is going to be just a hunky-dory experience. If you come prepared, you'll be better off. We can make the process easier for you, and it will be fine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIS: Now, some tips from the Transportation Security Administration -- do not lock your bag. They may have to break that lock if you do, if they have got to open it and you're not there.
Also, do not pack food or beverages in your bag. Put personal belongings in a clear, plastic bag. Now, some of the things that you should not bring on board with you, Aunt Edna's (ph) fruitcake -- unfortunately, this is Entemann's fruitcake. I have nothing against Entenmann's here, but do not bring it on board with you. Do not bring this on board because what happens with these big bomb detection machines is that they see density. Fruitcake, obviously, very dense. Also, I have got a block of cheese here, I saw one of these go through in somebody's luggage the other day. They got hauled over to the side. They had to have their luggage opened, and once they realized it was cheese and not a bomb, they were allowed to go through. And chocolate, big chocolate bars. They are dense. The machine is also going to alarm. It is going to slow you down.
And Kyra, just holding all this stuff is making me really hungry. I'm going to keep the chocolate though. I am giving you the fruitcake.
PHILLIPS: I was just going to say, I'm glad the fruitcake can't make it through. That will make our household a lot happier. Patty Davis, thank you so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 31, 2002 - 14:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Countdown at the nation's airports: starting at midnight, all checked bags will have to be screened for explosives.
CNN's Patty Davis live at Reagan National Airport near Washington to tell us about it -- Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, a big deadline, and the Transportation Security Administration says that it is ready. Big bomb detection machines in place at airports across the country. Some in airport lobbies, as here at Reagan National Airport. Also some behind the scenes at other airports. Jacksonville, Florida, for instance, has an in-line system.
Trace detection machines also. Those are where they swab your bag. Those are being used as a backup to these big bomb detection machines, also being used on their own at some airports. And for some of the airports that couldn't make that deadline -- now, with those big bomb detection machines, they will still have to do 100 percent bag search with bomb sniffing dogs and even hand searches as well. This could really slow down your travel at airports over the next few weeks as the TSA works out the kinks, and the TSA says you should give yourself a little extra time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT JOHNSON, TSA SPOKESMAN: Security is no longer a spectator sport. You can't sit on the sidelines, show up at the airport late, and go on autopilot thinking this is going to be just a hunky-dory experience. If you come prepared, you'll be better off. We can make the process easier for you, and it will be fine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIS: Now, some tips from the Transportation Security Administration -- do not lock your bag. They may have to break that lock if you do, if they have got to open it and you're not there.
Also, do not pack food or beverages in your bag. Put personal belongings in a clear, plastic bag. Now, some of the things that you should not bring on board with you, Aunt Edna's (ph) fruitcake -- unfortunately, this is Entemann's fruitcake. I have nothing against Entenmann's here, but do not bring it on board with you. Do not bring this on board because what happens with these big bomb detection machines is that they see density. Fruitcake, obviously, very dense. Also, I have got a block of cheese here, I saw one of these go through in somebody's luggage the other day. They got hauled over to the side. They had to have their luggage opened, and once they realized it was cheese and not a bomb, they were allowed to go through. And chocolate, big chocolate bars. They are dense. The machine is also going to alarm. It is going to slow you down.
And Kyra, just holding all this stuff is making me really hungry. I'm going to keep the chocolate though. I am giving you the fruitcake.
PHILLIPS: I was just going to say, I'm glad the fruitcake can't make it through. That will make our household a lot happier. Patty Davis, thank you so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
