NYTimes
New Security Rules Prompt Confusion
By JOHN HOLUSHA
Published: August 10, 2006
Changed security rules produced long lines and confusion at American airports today, with passengers missing flights and enduring intensive inspections in reaction to the arrests of alleged bomb plotters in Britain.
Dennis McDermott, 53, a certified public accountant who lives in Hunterton County, New Jersey, arrived at Newark Liberty Airport at 5:15 a.m., expecting to board a Delta flight to Vancouver, British Columbia.
The security wait was so extensive that he missed the flight. “The plane left without me,” he said. “My luggage is in Vancouver.”
He said his daughter Jennifer, 14, was forced to remove her perfume from her handbag and put it checked luggage.
Mr. McDermott said he missed a second flight to Vancouver and was planning to fly to Seattle and then drive three hours to Vancouver after clearing security at 9:35, over four hours after arriving at the airport.
In Detroit, employees of Northwest Airlines, the dominant carrier there, handed out photocopied sheets explaining the items that could not be taken aboard planes, as the lines grew longer this morning.
Passengers were told they could check a third bag without charge; normally only two are allowed.
Bobby Mathew, 36, and Michael Durso, 27, were returning to Philadelphia after a business trip to Detroit. Like many business travelers, they said they never check baggage and did not consider checking their rolling suitcases.
As a result of the new rules, Mr. Matthew threw away a bottle of lotion and toothpaste, but kept shaving cream and allergy medication on the assumption they would be allowed aboard. Mr. Dennis threw away his after shave lotion and other liquids.
“It’s another wake-up call,” said Mr. Matthew. “I grew up in India, and it’s not rare to have 14 checkpoints and spend three hours at the airport.”
Outside the Detroit airport, Kelly Crane, 17, a high school student from Stamford, Conn., was repacking as she prepared to leave Michigan after a sailing trip. She pulled nail polish, sunscreen, lotion and water out of her pink and blue backpack and stuffing them into a large duffel bag she planned to check.
“I don’t really mind not bringing my sunscreen on the plane, but that I can’t bring my water, that’s a little ridiculous,” she said.
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