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DHS to announce new aviation security measures

Posted at 4:01 PM, Jun 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-28 16:01:36-04

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly will announce new aviation security measures Wednesday regarding overseas airports that have direct flights to the United States, according to an official familiar with the content of the announcement.

The announcement is not about an expansion of the so-called laptop ban, as some have anticipated.

Many of the specifics about the new measures likely won’t be laid out for security reasons. The measures are a directive for airlines to follow because although DHS does not have jurisdiction over foreign airports, it does have authority over air carriers with direct flights to the US.

These measures must be followed if countries want to avoid a laptop ban and if they want to continue to have direct flights to the United States.

One airline industry source told CNN the DHS aviation security measures will be “seen and unseen.” The aviation source added the industry is expecting several things, including requiring better vetting of airline employees, better interviewing of passengers before boarding aircraft, increased use of K9 dogs and explosive trace detection equipment.

Earlier this month, Kelly told CNN that the 10 airports that were first hit with the laptop ban would be given an opportunity to get off the list if they took certain measures.