With the global health crisis changing the way that people think about public safety, a lot of industries are changing the way they do things.

Orlando International Airport

One of the affected industries has been air travel. Now, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is reworking how it screens passengers.

According to Click Orlando, the TSA has implemented several changes to their security screening process to reduce any chance of contamination at the security checkpoints. Their goal is to have the new process rolled out in airports nationwide by mid-June.

Airline Check-In

The new procedures include the following:

• Travelers will keep possession of their boarding passes. TSA agents will no longer handle boarding passes. Instead, travelers will place passes on the readers themselves and hold passes for agents to inspect.
• Food will be separated for X-ray screening. Food often triggers an alarm during screening. By separating it, there is less of a chance that TSA agents will need to open a carry-on bag to inspect its contents.
• Travelers are encouraged to pack smart. If passengers take care to remove liquids, gels, or aerosols in quantities greater than 3.4 oz, there is less of a chance that TSA agents will need to open their carry on bag. If a prohibited item is detected, passengers will be pulled aside to remove and discard the item themselves.
• Agents will be wearing face coverings and travelers are encouraged to as well. Note that travelers may need to adjust their masks during the screening.

Star Wars United Airlines Plane ©United

These new changes are not the only ones that have been instituted in airports thus far. Prior instituted health measures include:

• Reduced security lane usage.
• Masks and gloves for TSA agents.
• Frequent glove changes for TSA agents.
• Plastic shielding installed at various locations.
• Distancing measures.
• Routine cleaning and disinfecting.

©Orlando International Airport

Of the changes, TSA Administrator David Pekoske said, “In the interest of TSA frontline workers and traveler health, TSA is committed to making prudent changes to our screening processes to limit physical contact and increase physical distance as much as possible. We continue to evaluate our security measures with an eye towards making smart, timely decisions benefiting health and safety, as well as the traveler experience.”

We’ll be following along with more changes from the TSA so that we can keep you updated.

Click here to read more about the way that the crisis is affecting airlines.

What do you think of the new TSA health measures? Tell us in the comments!