Press Release

November 20, 2010

WASHINGTON – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John S. Pistole today issued a message to the public with tips for air travel this holiday season. The message is posted on TSA’s website at www.tsa.gov and also appears on TSA’s YouTube page. The message is also being made available to airports nationwide to play during the busy holiday travel period to ensure passengers are prepared when coming through security checkpoints.

Here is a transcript of the video/message:

“Hello, I’m TSA Administrator John Pistole. As you travel this holiday season I want to remind you that TSA’s mission is to ensure the safety of you the traveling public and we are committed to doing so efficiently, courteously and professionally. 

I’d like to offer a few tips and some important information we’d like you to know before you go through security. Remember our 3 simple steps to security: Have your ID out, coats & shoes off and laptop and liquids and gels less than 3 ounces out and ready. 

As you enter the checkpoint you will be directed to pass through either a walk through metal detector or, at some airports, an Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) unit. 

If you are directed to pass through an AIT, you may opt out. If you choose to opt out, you will receive a thorough pat-down by someone of the same gender. If you alarm either the metal detector or the AIT, you will also receive a thorough pat-down by someone of the same gender. 

In either case where a pat-down is required, you have important options that we want you to be aware of: you have the option to request that the pat-down be conducted in a private room and you have the option to have that pat-down witnessed by a person of your choice. 

We very much appreciate your involvement, cooperation and assistance in ensuring the safety of you, the traveling public. If you have questions about these procedures, the technology used by TSA, or our efforts to ensure your safety, please do not hesitate to ask for one of our supervisors or visit TSA.gov.   

Thank you and remember that at TSA, your safety is our priority.”

To view the video from Mr. Pistole on YouTube, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fpOALc2RbI.

To learn more about traveling this holiday season, visit www.tsa.gov.

PRES FEELS TRAVELERS’ PAIN…THEORETICALLY:

President Barack Obama has asked security officials whether there’s a less intrusive way to screen U.S. airline passengers than the pat-downs and body scans causing a holiday-season uproar. 

For now, they’ve told him there isn’t one, the president said Saturday in response to a question at the NATO summit in Lisbon. 

“I understand people’s frustrations,” Obama said, while acknowledging that he’s never had to undergo the stepped-up screening methods. - AP via CBS

Bill Clinton was a much better empathizer. What would Bush have been called - the Empathicator?

(Brad)

And three Senators discover what we’ve reported at least twice: Scanners don’t have to strip you to show suspicious items.

(Brad)

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