Albany, NY (Sept. 17, 2004) - - - Passenger and carry-on luggage screening at Albany International Airport will be expanded beginning Monday, September 20th. The new security measures are being implemented by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in response to the recent report issued by the 9/11 Commission.

The new procedures will increase both electronic and manual explosive detection and will result in an increase in both electronic and pat-down searches of passengers. The procedures will also give Transportation Security Administration screeners more latitude to refer individuals to secondary screening at the security checkpoint.

"These procedures are consistent with TSA efforts to improve and expand the use of technology to screen passengers for explosives at airport checkpoints across the country," said Rear Adm. David M. Stone, USN (Ret.), the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for TSA.

"We believe the added security measures are an essential component of our overall program to ensure the safety of all of the passengers at Albany International Airport," said Rev. Michael A. Farano, Chairman of the Albany County Airport Authority.

All passengers will continue to pass through metal detectors and put their carry-on items through the X-ray scanners. The new security measures will be applied to those persons referred to secondary screening.

The new procedures will also require all passengers to remove outer coats and jackets for X-ray before proceeding through the metal detectors. Included in the new directive are suit coats, sport coats, athletic warm-up jackets and blazers. Women wearing only blazers as a top would not have to remove them but would be subject to additional screening.

The new TSA directive authorizes pat-down searches of passengers if warranted, based on visual observations. These limited searches will be conducted as part of the secondary screening process. The TSA will continue its practice of matching male screeners to males and female screeners to females.

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