Increased security at Baton Rouge airport

The Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport is trying to protect flyers and reduce the chances of terrorist attacks by taking increased security measures.
“Terrorism used to happen overseas, but now it’s in our back yard,” said Chief Gil Leachmen of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, “There has been much increase on checking personal identification and searching bags that are carried on planes.”
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), security tips for air travelers, passengers cannot bring knives of any length or anything that could be used as a weapon, such as aerosol spray cans, insect repellant or butane fuel.
FAA also advises flyers to bring a government issued photo identifications, and to be cooperative as screeners ask to hand-search bags. Security personnel will search a bag if the x-ray scan cannot determine its contents.
Leachman also explained the new policies regarding car searches.
“Since the FAA regulations say that a vehicle can’t be parked within 300 feet of the airport, and the parking lot is within 300 feet, cars have to be searched before parking.”
“We have to screen the passengers and check their luggage. There are sixty different regulations we have to go through now,” said Larry Callendar, a customer service representative at the airport.
Many individuals are considering alternative traveling methods for the holidays.
“Security measures don’t make me feel protected at all. If someone wants to sneak something on a plane, they can,” said Temese Chavis, a senior in mass communications from Richmond, California.
According to Elizabeth Smith, supervisor for scheduling information and fare at Greyhound, “Our amount of passengers has increased since the terrorists attacks and with the holidays approaching. We have increased security, police personnel, and randomly hand search baggage,” said Smith.