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American Morning

Target: Terrorism - FAA Allows Some Curbside Check-In

Aired October 01, 2001 - 11:48   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to talk more about airline travel in the country. Patty Davis in Washington. New developments on what passengers may encounter when they arrive at the airport. Patty, good morning.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill. Well, if you do go to the airport, you will find that you are now able to check-in at the curbside. The FAA, sources tell CNN, has lifted its restriction on curbside check-in. Of course right after the September 11 incidents, that was completely banned.

Now sources tell CNN that airlines, if they meet certain new security requirements, are allowed to check-in customers at the curbside. American Airlines is able to do this at DFW, also Chicago, on United Airlines at Dulles Airport, at a couple of other airports. What they have do is they have to meet this CAP screening programs, Computer Assisted Passenger Screening, whereby they are flagging. They're selecting passengers on the computer. If you show up there, you then are not allowed to do curbside check-in. You have to go directly to the check-in counter, and go through all the various checks that everybody else has to go through.

So, now some of the sources are saying that airports though are different. Even though the FAA is allowing this, if the airline meets the increased security enhancements, some airports are not allowing it yet. So it is kind of individual, airport to airport. Bill?

HEMMER: Patty, just to clarify, has it been cumbersome for some airports not to allow that curbside check-in?

DAVIS: Well, it makes it difficult, definitely, for some of these airlines, because now everybody has had to go to the check-in counter. We are talking two, three hours delays once you're at the check-ins. Not being able to go to a sky cap means that -- I don't know exactly how much passenger traffic actually goes through sky caps, but certainly significant enough, and adding to the time lines there at the airports. Bill?

HEMMER: Indeed you are right, Patty. We can see the lines in some pictures and videotapes snaking for quite a bit.

Patty Davis, thanks to you in Washington.

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