COVID-19 Screening Process In Place At Alabama Airports

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Transportation Security Administration is making changes to its screening processes at Alabama airport. A release by the TSA said they have made changes at airline checkpoints to screen for COVID-19.

The TSA said passengers will need arrive early and scan their own boarding passes to reduce the TSA officer’s need to touch boarding passes.

Changes to the boarding process include:

• Passengers will need to separate their food items for X-ray screening as food items often trigger alarms that require TSA officers to open bags. Food should be placed in clear plastic bags and placed in a bin for processing.
• Passengers will need to ensure they do not pack prohibited items, such as liquids, gels or aerosols in quantities greater than 3.4 ounces, in their carry-on bags.
• TSA is allowing one liquid hand sanitizer container, up to 12 ounces per passenger, in carry-on bags that passengers will need to remove from their bags before being submitted for X-ray screening. Passengers may also be directed back outside of security to remove items that should have originally been divested, such as laptops and large electronics.
• Passengers will need to practice social distancing. Noticeable adjustments, like visual reminders of appropriate spacing on checkpoint floors and staggering the use of lanes, have been made leading up to the security checkpoint.
• Passengers will need to wear facial protection. TSA officers at checkpoints are now using facial protection, as well. Passengers may need to adjust it during the screening process in order to be identified.
• Passengers will need to remove items such as belts and items from their pockets, like wallets, keys and phones, and put them directly into their carry-on bags instead of into the bins to reduce touchpoints during the screening process.

A rise in COVID-19 cases has health officials concerned as the state passed 30,000 total cases over the weekend.