Aviation authorities advise against wrapped gifts aboard

Transportation officials are advising  travelers against bringing wrapped presents onto airplanes or  packing their film in checked bags during this holiday season.
   
\The Transportation Security Administration wants to move people more quickly through  crowded airports. Passengers may be asked to unwrap their presents during screening, and new baggage screening  equipment could ruin camera film.
 
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said the effort  to smooth holiday air travel is one of the agency's next priorities, now that it has met the deadline for a federal screening  work force at commercial airports.
 
Congress last year set the deadline for a federal screener work  force after screeners working for private companies allowed  security breeches after Sept. 11. The agency, which had 13 people  in January, now has more than 45,000 employees checking passengers  and their baggage. Some 90 percent of all passengers are screened in 10  minutes or less.

Congress also set a year-end deadline to screen all checked  passenger baggage for explosives. Many airports said they didn't  have enough time to meet the cutoff date without creating long  lines and delays.
 
The House of Representatives in mid-November extended the deadline  for one year as part of the bill creating the Homeland Security  Department. The Senate is expected to vote this week on creating  the department.

To find out more:

The Transportation Security Administration
www.tsa.dot.gov
www.tsatraveltips.us