TSA announces new screening procedures for travelers

ORLANDO, Fla. - As stay-at-home restrictions ease across the country, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is implementing new guidelines for travelers.

TSA says over the last few weeks, more and more travelers have been coming through the security checkpoints. They want passengers to be aware of some changes during screenings.

First, the agency wants you to keep your boarding pass. TSA says instead of handing it to an agent, scan it yourself. That way their employees don’t have to touch your documents, preventing cross-contamination.  These changes come after more than a dozen TSA officers in Orlando and hundreds across the country tested positive for coronavirus.

“They’re just like anybody else they deserve to be safe. They’re frontline. They deserve to be safe and have people be courteous to them,” said Catherine Reardon, who traveled from Arizona to Orlando Thursday.  

Also new, TSA wants to you place any carry on food into a plastic bag and then into a bin. That could cut down on agents have to inspect the inside of someone’s bag.

There will also be social distancing markers in security to try and spread out the crowds. All agents will be wearing masks and travelers are encouraged to do so as well.

“I believe that without proper guidelines and publishing those guidelines… people are not going to know what to do,” said Eric Millhorn, who flies often for work.

TSA says it’s already started making these changes but you can expect to see it nationwide by mid-June.

The agency has not said anything about temperature checks but some airlines like Frontier say they will be taking temperatures of passengers.