The TSA is eyeing a major shake-up to its strict liquid rules after two decades infuriating passengers, Kristi Noem has revealed.
The Department of Homeland Security is reviewing the 3.4-ounce limit, igniting hopes of a long-overdue update to airport security protocols.
‘I will tell you, I mean, the liquids [rule] I am questioning,’ Noem told NewsNation chief Washington Correspondent Blake Burman at the inaugural Hill Nation Summit.
‘So that may be the next big announcement is what size your liquids need to be. We’re looking at it.’
Containers carrying liquids, aerosols, creams and gels over 3.4 ounces are not allowed in carry-on bags, and can only be taken onto flights if they are in checked luggage.
TSA enforces the ‘3-1-1 rule,’ which applies specifically to liquid storage in a carry-on.
As per the policy, containers holding liquids must be the 3.4-ounce (3) weight limit or less, all containers must fit in one (1) quart-sized clear bag inside a carry-on, and only one (1) of these bags is permitted per flier, according to the agency.
Noem also discussed expediting the entire airport security experience.
Kristi Noem (pictured) hinted at the travel change at the inaugural Hill Nation Summit on Wednesday
Noem hinted that Transportation Security Administration is considering changing the size of liquid containers allowed through security (file photo)
‘Well, hopefully the future of an airport where I’m looking to go is that you walk in the door with your carry-on suitcase, you walk through a scanner and go right to your flight,’ she said.
She added that it could only take one minute for people to get through the gate, and she is working with several parties to make this happen.
‘It’s not certainly anything we’ll be announcing in the next week or two,’ Noem told to The Hill.
‘But we’re working to see what we can do to make the traveling experience much better and more hospitable for individuals, but also still keep safety standards.’
The ‘3-1-1’ carry-on policy was implemented in 2006, when an ‘advanced’ bomb plot targeting aircrafts headed to the US from London was uncovered by British officials.
US authorities said suicide attackers planned to use a peroxide-based solution that could cause an explosion by being ignited by something as minimal as a camera flash, NPR reported at the time.
The suspects behind the sinister plot had planned to move forward with their attacks just a few days after intelligence officials intervened.
Noem’s hint at TSA changes comes roughly a week after the DHS declared that domestic travelers can leave their shoes on during TSA screenings.
The ‘3-1-1’ carry-on rule was implemented in 2006, when an ‘advanced’ bomb plot targeting aircrafts headed to the US was uncovered by British officials (file photo)
Noem’s statement comes more than a week after the DHS announced domestic travelers no longer have to take their shoes off during security screenings (file photo)
According to an internal memo, the shoe policy shift was tied to improvements in screening technology, and an updated assessment of current security threats.
Travelers enrolled in TSA PreCheck have long enjoyed the privilege of keeping their shoes on but now that same courtesy is being extended to the general public.
To bypass the shoe rule, passengers must hold a federally approved REAL ID or passport to board a domestic flight, with a standard driver’s license no longer cutting it.
Travelers requiring special security procedures may still be asked to remove their footwear under the new requirements.
The original rule was introduced in the wake of the 2001 incident involving Richard Reid, infamously known as the ‘Shoe Bomber,’ who attempted to detonate explosives hidden in his sneakers during a transatlantic flight.
