What New Measures?

From Yahoo:

"Phones, shoes to face scrutiny as airport security tightened: U.S."

Airlines with direct flights to the United States have been told to tighten screening of mobile phones and shoes in response to intelligence reports of increased threats from al Qaeda-affiliated militant groups, U.S. officials said on Thursday. The officials singled out smartphones including iPhones made by Apple Inc and Galaxy phones made by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd for extra security checks on U.S.-bound direct flights from Europe, the Middle East and Africa. U.S. security officials said they fear bombmakers from the Yemen-based al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) have figured out how to turn the phones into explosive devices that can avoid detection. They also are concerned that hard-to-detect bombs could be built into shoes, said the officials, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. A U.S. official said that other electronic devices carried by passengers also are likely to receive more intense scrutiny. Airlines or airport operators that fail to strengthen security could face bans on flights entering the United States, the officials said.

An official familiar with the matter said the United States believes that while it is possible there may be some additional delays at security checkpoints, at most major airports passengers will not be seriously inconvenienced. The official said most passengers taking long-distance flights arrive well in advance of scheduled departures, leaving time for extra screening. But he said the United States could not rule out disruptions in countries where airport infrastructure and security procedures are less sophisticated. U.S.-based airlines had little to say about the enhanced security. American Airlines spokesman Matt Miller said the Department of Homeland Security had been in contact with American on the issue, but declined to comment further.

^ This seems a little redundant. For years we have had to take off our shoes, our belts, take our electronics out of the bag. So what "new" measures are there? I have flown within the US and from other countries to the US and have had the same thing happen at security (although the majority of the security officers outside the US I have dealt with seem more helpful, friendly and actually work rather than talk.) The TSA stand behind their barriers and make you do all the work. They shout at you to take things out of your pockets, take off your shoes and push your bags into the metal detector while at the same time they yell at you to go through the metal detector or body scanner. If something goes wrong they (the TSA) seem overly lazy and unhelpful/unwilling to do anything. I remember flying out of Denver and the TSA guy told me I could go ahead of everyone because we had a wheelchair and there were long lines of people with very few lanes open. I asked him if he could help us navigate through to the head of the line, but he said "No." So I made a loud speech as I moved the wheelchair to the front that the TSA guy (I even pointed to him) said we were to move to the front. I didn't want other people to think we were cutting in line and it made the people dislike the TSA guy a little bit for not helping us and at the same time for allowing us to go ahead of them.) Several years ago I went through the whole process of being hired by the TSA and passed everything and was offered a job. Luckily, I had just started another, better job and so didn't need to work with them and become one of those undertrained, unfriendly, unhelpful TSA officers (but it did give me an insight in how they operate.) The most helpful security officers outside the US were in the UK and Germany. They not only explained things to you, but also did their job in a professional yet friendly manner. ^

http://news.yahoo.com/u-increases-security-overseas-airports-amid-bomb-concerns-021555471.html