Kip Hawley Remarks at Holiday Travel Media Roundtable
Thank you for joining us this morning.
I am Kip Hawley, TSA Administrator and happy to be joined by our host Jim May, the President of the Air Transport Association, representing the airlines, and Greg Principato, President of Airports Council International, North America, representing airports.
We are part of the team that helps America celebrate its major holidays, part of the team that brings families together. We all work closely together, support each other for the same goal of a smooth, safe, secure trip.
My thanks to Jim and Greg for the great job they do and for the tremendous support that airlines, airports, and their employees give TSA on behalf of the traveling public.
Our message this morning is that we are prepared for Thanksgiving, we are looking forward to it, and we would like to invite the traveling public to play an active part in making thanksgiving a smooth travel family holiday.
TSA checkpoints will be fully staffed around the country and ready to go. My thanks to our TSA team for giving up their own personal holiday time to serve in their security mission at this busy time.
We'd like to give you some travel tips that you can use to make the security process go smoothly. First, understand the process.
When the liquid explosives threat broke in August, we banned all liquids, aerosols, and gels as an emergency measure.
After extensive scientific study and security evaluation, we made changes to our checkpoint procedure that recognized under certain circumstances, small quantities of liquids, aerosols and gels would not pose a significant risk to the public.
That's where 3-1-1 came from.
How can a passenger be allowed to bring on what they need for a quick trip without adding to the security problem?
3-1-1.
If you bring your liquids, aerosols and gels in travel size containers of 3 ounces or less, we can make sure, with our existing equipment, that bombs are not getting through.
That's the 3 in 3-1-1.
Now that we know the bomb is not coming through the checkpoint, what about the materials you need to make a bomb once you're past security?
That's where the first 1 comes in.
If all your liquids are together, in their 3 ounce containers, and they fit easily inside a 1 quart zip-top baggie, then we know how much total liquid you are bringing on the plane.
The rest of the security arrangements are made behind the scenes to assure that multiple passengers working together don't defeat us.
By the way, the reason you can safely buy liquids past the checkpoint is that they go through their own separate security process. We need to limit the amount any one passenger brings through the checkpoint to what fits into one 1-quart baggie.
How are we sure?
Because we don't allow stray liquids in carry-on bags – ones that aren't in the one quart baggie – through the checkpoint.
That's the other 1 in 3-1-1.
Let me repeat, 3-1-1 means:
- Containers of 3 ounces or less,
- brought together in a sealed 1 quart zip-top baggie,
- one per passenger put in the bin along with your shoes.
Don't want to bother with that? No problem, just put your liquids, aerosols and gels in your checked luggage.
So your decision check list might be:
- Am I checking a bag? If yes, forget the baggie and put all your liquids, etc. in there and you won't have to deal with them at the checkpoint.
- If I am not checking a bag, take the extra minute to put all the liquids in a one quart baggie – make sure they're in small travel-size containers and then toss it in the bin along with your shoes when you get to the checkpoint.
This is not complicated. I got home last night from a trip to Europe where this system was just rolled out, and it is working without problems in 28 countries there.
Please don't hassle our Security Officers when you get to the checkpoint. They need to focus on their security screening job, which is to prevent bombs from getting on your flight. Please don't distract them with trying to cut corners.
The security basis of 3-1-1 is solid, and it has been adopted by 30 countries covering more than half of the world's air travelers.
Work with us and help everyone this holiday season.
Thank you.
