By Joe Myxter, travel editor
Travelers with disabilities or medical conditions who are nervous or uncertain about getting through airport security now have a helpline they can call for assistance.
The Transportation Security Administration launched TSA Cares on Thursday.?"It is primarily to provide passengers ? or families of passengers ? with disabilities and medical conditions information about our screening procedures and what they should expect at the security checkpoint," TSA spokesperson Greg Soule told msnbc.com.
Travelers can call the helpline (1-855-787-2227, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. ET) for information about security procedures.
News of the hotline comes after some recent high-profile passenger-TSA run-ins:
Kate Hanni, the founder of FlyersRights.org, a nonprofit passenger-rights group, called TSA Cares a Band-Aid solution that won?t solve anything.
"There?s no way around this unless TSA actually changes its behavior," Hanni said.
She recalled the TSA unveiling medical notification cards last December?whereby passengers could discreetly disclose health concerns, disabilities or medical conditions to agents.
"It made no difference ? we still get the same number of complaints," Hanni said. "People are still going through the exact same indignities. I don?t see how this 800 number will change the experience of these passengers."
"TSA's priority is to provide the best possible security while treating all passengers with dignity and respect," Soule said, adding that the new helpline is an additional step to educate travelers.
You can learn more about TSA Cares by visiting the TSA blog.?
More stories you might like:
Joe Myxter has been running msnbc.com's Travel section since 2006.Follow him on Twitter.
pie crust turkey recipes turkey recipes sweet potato pie sweet potato pie stuffing recipe happy thanksgiving
কোন মন্তব্য নেই:
একটি মন্তব্য পোস্ট করুন