Memphis airport security no longer will confiscate Elvis Presley snow globes www.privateofficer.com

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Memphis TN Nov 17 2012


Graceland souvenir dealersmay be interested to know their plastic Elvis Presley snow globes no longer aresubject to seizure by airport security.
Thanks to a more common-sense approach, the 20 to 30 Elvissnow globes that go through passenger screening each month are now safe fromconfiscation by security officers at Memphis International Airport.
Transportation Security Administration and Memphis-ShelbyCounty Airport Authority officials joined forces Thursday to preview theholiday travel season, highlight changes in screening procedures and show offan expanded B Checkpoint.
Kevin McCarthy, TSA federal security director at Memphis, said the $8.5million expansion of the airport's busiest checkpoint has relieved a strain onpassengers and TSA officers alike and should mean smoother operation during theholiday push that begins Friday.
John Greaud, airport vice president of operations, said theB Checkpoint expansion, more than two years in the making, is about 97 percentcompleted.
It has space for up to eight screening lines, twice as manyas before; it allows passengers to queue up inside the checkpoint, not spillingout into the terminal lobby; and it has natural light from clerestory windowsin a raised roof structure featuring the airport's martini-glass design motif.
For passengers leaving the airport, B Checkpoint added anescalator that leads down to baggage claim, bypassing the terminal lobbycompletely.
The airport, which typically puts 8,000 to 10,000 people aday through three security checkpoints, expects peaks of 10,000 to 12,000 a dayWednesday and the Sunday after Thanksgiving, officials said.
McCarthy said travelers should allow about 90 minutes to getchecked in, through security and situated at their gates. TSA aims to keepscreening waits to 20 minutes or less, he said.
Travelers should know some rules haven't changed, like aprohibition on bottles with more than 3 ounces of liquids, gels or aerosols.But others have been relaxed as part of TSA's risk-based security initiative.
Children 12 and under and people 75 and older face modifiedscreening procedures, including not having to remove shoes and light jackets,McCarthy said.
The "snow globe" rule, in effect for about twomonths, says such items that contain less than 3.4 ounces (roughly equal to orsmaller than a tennis ball) can be stored inside a resealable one-quart plasticbag with other liquids and placed in carry-on luggage.
TSA advises against putting wrapped gifts in carry-onluggage, because officers may have to unwrap them to check for threats. Fooditems such as cakes and pies can be carried on, but also may require closerinspection.
The agency has a toll-free hotline, TSA Cares, at855-787-2227, to provide information to passengers with disabilities andmedical conditions. Information can also be found at tsa.gov.