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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APA 96-134
Thursday, July 25, 1996
Contact: FAA Public Affairs
(202) 267-8521

                 FAA STATEMENT ON INCREASED SECURITY LEVELS
                              AT U.S. AIRPORTS

The Federal Aviation Administration will begin increasing security levels
at U.S. airports with a special focus on international flights.

The heightened level includes several steps obvious to the public. These
include more intensive screening of passengers on international flights,
and more intensive screening of carry-on baggage for domestic and
international flights. Additional classified measures also will be
instituted.

The new measures and procedures will be implemented by both U.S. and
foreign airlines. There also will be additional controls on air transport
cargo.

Passengers should expect delays at the airport, as congestion at security
screening checkpoints may occur as a result of more bags being opened and
searched. To minimize delays, passengers should:

* Clearly label luggage and be prepared to answer questions about their
bags;
* Have photo identification available;
* Be prepared to have carry-on and checked baggage inspected; and
* Arrive early and after checking bags, proceed promptly to departure
gates.

While the cause of the destruction of TWA Flight 800 has yet to be
determined, prudence demands that these actions be taken. While no specific
credible threats to airlines or airports have been made, these additional
measures are needed now to prevent or deter criminal or terrorist acts
against civil aviation.

The United States has been in a heightened state of security at airports
since last August. The FAA has made several major security improvements
since 1988, including:

* Improving the flow of intelligence information to the FAA and the
industry;
* Placing federal security managers in 19 of the largest and busiest U.S.
airports, and civil aviation security liaison officers at 17 overseas
locations;
* Increased security for cargo and mail;
* Implementing new employment and training standards for screeners at U.S.
airports and other security personnel;
* Publishing guidelines to help airports build security into new
construction;
* Requiring employment investigations and some criminal history records
checks;
* Conducting joint FAA/FBI vulnerability assessments at major U.S.
airports; and
* Deployment of state-of-the-art explosives detection systems in Atlanta
and San Francisco for operational testing. The agency also is moving
aggressively toward developing a national deployment strategy for explosive
detection systems.

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An electronic version of this release can be obtained via the World Wide
Web at:
http://www.faa.gov

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