Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Sunday

TSA to Do Away With Gate Screenings, Parking Restrictions

Aired December 08, 2002 - 17:22   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.


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: And now a CNN exclusive. Expect big security changes at the nation's airports come tomorrow. CNN's Patty Davis is breaking the story in Washington. Patty, what's going to change?
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, the Transportation Security Administration is doing away with gate screenings for all flights and airport parking restrictions starting tomorrow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): It's an extra security measure that's been in place since the September 11 terror attacks, a random second screening just before you board your flight. Passenger Tom Taylor says it makes him feel safer.

TOM TAYLOR, PASSENGER: It's a little bit of a nuisance, but it's good.

DAVIS: But the Transportation Security Administration says it's not necessary because of all the extra security measures now in place, including reinforced cockpit doors and federal air marshals. The TSA is doing away with gate screenings for all flights. Instead, starting Monday, teams of screeners will rove airport gate area and randomly choose flights and passengers for extra scrutiny.

And at 17 airports over the next two weeks, including Boston, LAX and Milwaukee, some passengers will be selected for a second, more thorough screening at the passenger checkpoint rather than at the gate.

At those 17 airports, passengers will no longer be able to get boarding passes at the gate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The notion is strengthen security, reduce hassle, do that by creating a program that is unpredictable to the enemy.

DAVIS: Also on Monday, the ban on parking within 300 feet of an airport terminal will be lifted. Parking restrictions will go into effect only when the Department of Homeland Security raises the color coded threat alert. It's part of getting rid of what the TSA chief, Admiral James Loy calls "stupid rules." He's already done away with a ban on carrying coffee cups through airport security, and the two security questions passengers were routinely asked at the ticket counter. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It seems that everything they're doing is to simplify the passengers' route to the airplane so that they don't get put off from going to the airports and so that the planes can leave on time. It has more to do with on-time departures and full flights than it has anything to do with security.

DAVIS: Some security experts say the latest steps will help throw off terrorists, but warn more needs to be done.

KELLY MCCANN, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Measured against this adversary, it's not enough., because clearly they're ingenious and innovative. We need to be as well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DAVIS: TSA officials acknowledge more needs to be done in cargo security, background checks for airport workers and in screening checked luggage improve the measures currently in the works.

And as you know, Carol, that checked luggage is going into effect for all bags at the end of the year.

LIN: You bet. I feel safer already. But Patty, I'm just wondering, you mentioned it briefly in your piece, but I'm just wondering if you have more information on what exactly the nation's airports are going to do about gate check-ins, because you mentioned that they may stop gate checking at some major airports.

DAVIS: Right. That's been expanded a bit. They announced that a couple of weeks ago. But what they're doing is they're saying that at those airports where they're having that secondary screening going on at the passenger checkpoint, you'll no longer be able to check in at the gate. Because you have to have a boarding pass to get through the checkpoint. You'll have to move it back to the ticket counter. That's certainly frustrating some passengers, but Transportation Security Administration is saying that it is important, it's an important step in security, and it will help strengthen the whole process along with everything else that they're doing -- Carol.

LIN: Yeah, you may feel safer, but doesn't that mean terribly long lines at the ticket counter, then?

DAVIS: Well, it could. But a lot of airlines, as you've seen, because I know you fly a lot, have these airport kiosks right in front of the ticket counters. And airlines are trying to steer customers to check in there. You punch in your number, even your frequent flyer number, or you slide your credit card, and you can check in there. You can bypass that ticket counter. So that certainly helps a bit.

LIN: All right, thank you so much, Patty.

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 8, 2002 - 17:22   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: And now a CNN exclusive. Expect big security changes at the nation's airports come tomorrow. CNN's Patty Davis is breaking the story in Washington. Patty, what's going to change?
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, the Transportation Security Administration is doing away with gate screenings for all flights and airport parking restrictions starting tomorrow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): It's an extra security measure that's been in place since the September 11 terror attacks, a random second screening just before you board your flight. Passenger Tom Taylor says it makes him feel safer.

TOM TAYLOR, PASSENGER: It's a little bit of a nuisance, but it's good.

DAVIS: But the Transportation Security Administration says it's not necessary because of all the extra security measures now in place, including reinforced cockpit doors and federal air marshals. The TSA is doing away with gate screenings for all flights. Instead, starting Monday, teams of screeners will rove airport gate area and randomly choose flights and passengers for extra scrutiny.

And at 17 airports over the next two weeks, including Boston, LAX and Milwaukee, some passengers will be selected for a second, more thorough screening at the passenger checkpoint rather than at the gate.

At those 17 airports, passengers will no longer be able to get boarding passes at the gate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The notion is strengthen security, reduce hassle, do that by creating a program that is unpredictable to the enemy.

DAVIS: Also on Monday, the ban on parking within 300 feet of an airport terminal will be lifted. Parking restrictions will go into effect only when the Department of Homeland Security raises the color coded threat alert. It's part of getting rid of what the TSA chief, Admiral James Loy calls "stupid rules." He's already done away with a ban on carrying coffee cups through airport security, and the two security questions passengers were routinely asked at the ticket counter. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It seems that everything they're doing is to simplify the passengers' route to the airplane so that they don't get put off from going to the airports and so that the planes can leave on time. It has more to do with on-time departures and full flights than it has anything to do with security.

DAVIS: Some security experts say the latest steps will help throw off terrorists, but warn more needs to be done.

KELLY MCCANN, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Measured against this adversary, it's not enough., because clearly they're ingenious and innovative. We need to be as well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DAVIS: TSA officials acknowledge more needs to be done in cargo security, background checks for airport workers and in screening checked luggage improve the measures currently in the works.

And as you know, Carol, that checked luggage is going into effect for all bags at the end of the year.

LIN: You bet. I feel safer already. But Patty, I'm just wondering, you mentioned it briefly in your piece, but I'm just wondering if you have more information on what exactly the nation's airports are going to do about gate check-ins, because you mentioned that they may stop gate checking at some major airports.

DAVIS: Right. That's been expanded a bit. They announced that a couple of weeks ago. But what they're doing is they're saying that at those airports where they're having that secondary screening going on at the passenger checkpoint, you'll no longer be able to check in at the gate. Because you have to have a boarding pass to get through the checkpoint. You'll have to move it back to the ticket counter. That's certainly frustrating some passengers, but Transportation Security Administration is saying that it is important, it's an important step in security, and it will help strengthen the whole process along with everything else that they're doing -- Carol.

LIN: Yeah, you may feel safer, but doesn't that mean terribly long lines at the ticket counter, then?

DAVIS: Well, it could. But a lot of airlines, as you've seen, because I know you fly a lot, have these airport kiosks right in front of the ticket counters. And airlines are trying to steer customers to check in there. You punch in your number, even your frequent flyer number, or you slide your credit card, and you can check in there. You can bypass that ticket counter. So that certainly helps a bit.

LIN: All right, thank you so much, Patty.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com