Travelers Flying Into U.S. Face Stricter Screening Of Laptops, Electronics

(KCBS) -- Travelers flying into the United States from nearly 300 international airports, including those in Mexico and Canada, are now subject to stepped-up security measures. They include stricter screening for electronic devices.

Canada has been observing the new rules for the last 36 hours, where travelers are being urged to get to the airport more than two hours before departure.

The other big change involves closer inspection of those electronic devices.

"Anything bigger than a cellphone will be dealt with a little differently as they're going through security," said Siobhan Morris, a reporter with Newstalk 1010 radio in Toronto.

Morris said don't get too excited if you're not traveling with a laptop, they want a closer look at that phone too.

"They'll have to be taken out of any type of protective case, the ones you have in your phone to keep them from getting bumped and scraped. Any laptop cases, any sleeves you might have for something like a tablet," Morris told KCBS. "They'll all have to be pulled out of those, and they have to be able at least be turned on."

Morris said it's not clear why they want those cases off.

"We're not really being told what it is that they're trying to get at," she said.

As for the locals, Morris said they seem to be of two minds. They either view it as another travel annoyance, or they're simply resigned that it's necessary to stay safe.