Office of Transportation Security to Screen Electronic Devices

The Office of Transportation Security (OTS) is following moves by its counterparts in the United States and United Kingdom to implement tougher security measures on electronic devices.

Image Source: Wikimedia

Under the new guidelines, passengers must submit all electronic devices for security screening.  After passing through the x-ray, they will have to switch on their devices in front of security officials to see that they are functioning normally.  If not, they may be examined through the x-ray machine again.  OTS says that these guidelines are effective immediately regardless of final destination.

Passengers who are proceeding directly to the US will have to undergo the additional security procedures in place.  Philippine Airlines is the only carrier that operates non-stop US flights from the Philippines.  The holding areas of their US-bound flights in Terminal 2 are cordoned-off from flights to other destinations to facilitate additional security measures.  Under recently-released US security measures, passengers traveling to the US from outside must show that the devices carried in their hand luggage are charged and can turn on when stopped by a security officer, otherwise the device will have to be left behind.  This has been a condition imposed by the US Transportation Security Administration on foreign carriers to continue non-stop flights to and from the US.  Flight departing to and from the UK are also subject to similar measures.

These measures by US and UK officials are in response to a 'credible' terrorist threat.  Although the threat was not specifically identified, analysts believe that Islamic militants in Syria and Yemen have been developing bombs that can go undetected using conventional airport security measures. 

Passengers are advised to charge their devices in advance before arriving at the airport.  

Source: Interaksyon and BBC News