US streamlines airport security with new class of passenger

After first class, business class, premium economy class and economy class, it's time to prepare for a new grade of airline travel: suspect class.

Tom Ridge, the Bush administration's director of homeland security, wants to ease the continuing shambles at American airports by introducing a "trusted traveller" card, which would let passengers who have undergone thorough background checks in advance to breeze through inspection points. Unfortunately, everyone else - and almost certainly all foreign visitors - would have to shuffle through security just as they do now, gawping enviously at those carrying the right card.

The scheme has the support of the airlines, with the unsurprising proviso that they want the government to pay for it. However, it has aroused opposition from civil liberty groups.

"A trusted traveller's card has many pitfalls," said Katie Corrigan, of the American Civil Liberties Union. "It does not bring any more security and would sacrifice a great deal of privacy." The ACLU has also pointed out the obvious flaw that terrorists as determined and patient as those who carried out the September 11 operation could easily wait long enough to acquire a card.

However, Mr Ridge has sensed that the patience of US passengers is wearing a little thinner. An average of 45 flights a day are delayed for security reasons, the vast majority entirely trivial.

In particular, Mr Ridge has targeted the random checks carried out on passengers just before boarding a plane - notable for the large number of elderly ladies and infants who are given a hard time - while baggage is often loaded without any proper check at all.

There have also been a number of incidents involving public figures: John Dingell, a congressman for 46 years, was forced to drop his trousers because his metal hip set off the alarm; Dan Quayle, the former vice-president, had his cabin baggage searched until his nail clippers were confiscated, and even the trans port secretary, Norman Mineta, was delayed because of a metal box of peppermints.

This week, federal agents took over security at Baltimore airport; eventually they will replace private contractors across the country. At the same time, the transportation security administration eased restrictions on some of the more absurd items that have been banned from cabin baggage, including nailclippers, tweezers, walking sticks and umbrellas (provided they are inspected first).

However, the TSA also produced a list of 70 banned items, ranging from the obvious (dynamite and pistols) to the mundane (corkscrews and screwdrivers). In a gesture that will baffle most Americans, cricket bats have joined baseball bats on the banned list.