MAS: US-bound travellers should check in early

US-bound travellers may want to take note:

Malaysia Airlines has advised United States-bound travellers to check in early in light of the heightened security measures by the US Transportation Secu­rity Administration.

“These include pat-down checks by security personnel and physical inspection of their cabin baggage and personal belongings prior to boarding, restricted access to carry-on baggage an hour prior to arrival and restrictions on the use of communication devices at any time during the flight,” MAS said in a statement yesterday.

MAS also urged passengers to cooperate with the cabin crew on any other in-flight security measures as instructed.

The heightened security follows an attempt by a man to detonate an explosive device on Friday.

Meanwhile, Canada bans hand baggage on flights to US following a failed Christmas Day plot to blow up a plane flying from Amsterdam to Detroit.

Passengers may only carry medical devices, small purses, cameras, laptop computers, canes, walkers, diaper bags, musical instruments and bags containing “life-sustaining items.

Travelers headed for the United States have been allowed to carry on only one bag since Saturday, following 23-year-old Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s alleged attempt to bring down a Northwest Airlines flight as it prepared to land in Detroit on Friday.


Source: The Star