Homeland Security's new enhanced security measures only the beginning

On Wednesday, the Secretary of Homeland Security (HLS) John Kelly announced at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) annual conference, new measures they were taking to secure the aviation industry from terrorist attacks. The Secretary referred to a decision he made on March 21 to ban laptops on flights, and that new enhanced screening measures the department was putting in place were meant to prevent them having to ban laptops and likely, other electronic devices.

Rather than ban laptops...

There have been reports over the years of terrorists using laptops to hide explosives. John Kelly also referred to cases in general where terrorists detonated an explosive while on a flight. Kelly was aware of the problems HLS created by banning laptops on flights as people who travel for business generally need their laptops for their work, especially those in the tech industry. International airports were concerned that the laptop ban would cause a logistical problem and perhaps even impact their bottom line. People that wouldn't be allowed to bring their laptops with them might not want to fly after all.

But the industry is also now concerned that the new enhanced screening process will add to more problems at airports where people would have to get to the airport much earlier. An industry trade group called Airlines for America is apparently frustrated with Homeland Security for not working closely with them in order to put in their new policy. The group's Chief Executive Nicholas E. Calio released a statement saying that there was no doubt that the industry would have issues enforcing the process as they would create more delays.

Enhanced measures sure to stress industry

But Homeland Security officials say that they expect that 99 percent of the airports are likely to comply with their new process.

In order to make sure this is the case, Kelly said that for those airlines that don't enforce the new security measures would still have to follow through with their laptop ban.

It's been reported that the industry has 21 days to put in bomb detection screening technology and 120 days to implement the rest of the required security steps. Even more, some airline officials have said that it would be better for HLS to target those airports that are already a problem, rather than all airlines that have traveled to the United States.

But there is also the issue of cost to put in these new measures. Robert O’Meara, who is the spokesman for ACI Europe said that in Europe much of those costs come from the government but in America, travelers could see an increase in their ticket prices.

Many airline officials have wondered why these same measures are not put in place for flights going to Europe and only those going to the U.S. Kelly has said that this is not the end of their security implementation.