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TSA makes changes to procedures for screening electronics at Salt Lake City International Airport

Posted at 6:14 PM, Oct 05, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-06 09:49:51-04

SALT LAKE CITY -- Jetsetters will need to be ready for a new rule at airports across the country, including six airports in Utah.

If you have any electronic devices larger than a cell phone, you must remove them from your carry-on bag and put them in a separate bin, much like passengers have had to do with laptops the last several years.

“For the past 18 months TSA tested new procedures for screening of carry-on property,” said TSA Public Affairs manager Lorie Dankers. "It took place at 10 different airports.”

Dankers said terrorist groups continue to target commercial aviation systems.

“We know they are aggressively pursuing innovative methods to disrupt the aviation’s system by finding ways to smuggle explosive devices into various consumer items with a focus on electronics,” Dankers said.

She said any device that is electronic should be taken out if it is larger than a small cell phone.

“Anything that has any type of battery power, electric power, anything that you would think of the circuitry of an item that could be tampered with," Dankers said. "Keep in mind the underlying reason beyond this is that people like to manipulate and change the makeup of that, so it looks like a common item that you would have, but when modified could be a threat to aviation.”

According to a press release, the change in policy includes the following airports in Utah: Salt Lake City International Airport, Cedar City Airport, Ogden-Hinkley Airport, Provo Airport, St. George Regional Airport, and Tooele County Wendover Airport.