SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – Do you know why the Transportation Safety Administration makes you take your shoes off at security and remove your laptop from its carrying case?
The agency explained those and other safety protocols at Burlington International Airport on Tuesday as it prepares for the heavy spring-break travel season.
Incidents like the 2001 shoe bomber and a 2009 terrorist plot to detonate large quantiles of liquid on a plane prompted the TSA to implement restrictions and requirements for travelers.
Agents say they ask passengers to remove their laptops and their shoes to make sure they get a good look at the items
“These things are often times mistaken for actual explosives and sometimes they alarm as actual explosives,,” said Bruce McDonald, the Federal Security Director.
Agency representatives demonstrated how everyday items — from electronic devices to candles — can be easily turned into explosives.
“Some of the bomb makers that we’ve found recently are as creative as the mind can be evil, so it’s not just simply shoes or anything like that,” McDonald said. “They’re always looking for new ways to spoof security or try to get it through.”
TSA Spokesperson Lisa Farbstein said the rule limiting liquid carry-on items to 3.4 ounces is based on intelligence.
“If it’s this quantity or smaller it’s not likely to cause a catastrophic incident on a plane,” she said.
McDonald said that travelers confused about what they can and can’t bring on a plane can visit the agency’s website.
“‘Can I bring this knife? Can I bring this pair of scissors?’ If you have a question about it that’s probably the best place to go,” said McDonald.