Airport Security Getting More Stringent

Since Nigeria’s Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, nearly carried out a terrorist attack on Christmas Day on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, authorities in Canada and the United States are locking down with stricter security measures for air travel.

The latest regulation implemented by Transport Canada is the ban on carry-on luggage on board a plane headed towards the United States. All baggage is required to be checked in, with the exception of certain items such as medications, medical equipment, small purses, cameras, coats, children’s items, laptops, crutches, canes, walkers, life support systems and musical instruments.

All these recent security measures have considerably increased the waiting time before boarding. To help personnel at Toronto’s Pearson Airport, Minister of Transport, John Baird, has requested the support of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Yesterday, more than forty officers reported to the airport to facilitate procedures.