| Before the increased security at the airport check in | | | | stolen property, or a disc with confidential |
| points, passengers on flights out of the U.S. were | | | | information. Those would be the sorts of things that |
| told to arrive 2 hours before their flight. Now, | | | | the men and women at an airport check in would be |
| however, they are told to come 3 hours before their | | | | watching for. |
| scheduled flight departs. This change is due to the | | | | Sometimes the older immigrants, who fly out of the |
| longer and more thorough check-in used with | | | | U.S. in order to return to the land of their birth, carry |
| passengers about to board an international flight. | | | | with them a great deal of luggage. They can pose a |
| The security personnel, who must conduct the check | | | | real challenge to the men and women at an airport |
| in for outbound international flights, need to watch of | | | | check in. Their bags are not only large; they are also |
| two different things. They look for evidence that a | | | | stuffed with all sorts of food and clothing. The men |
| passenger might be boarding with some sort of | | | | and women at the airport check in must sort through |
| weapon, and they also check for signs that the | | | | all of the items in those heavy suitcases. |
| passenger might be carrying contraband. | | | | Sometimes they might suspect an item of being |
| What sort of items would be classed as | | | | contraband, when in fact it is not. For example, one |
| "contraband?" | | | | woman who had packed some dried vegetables was |
| What sort of items would it be illegal to take out of | | | | called aside and accused of carrying marijuana. |
| the U.S.? | | | | Fortunately, her son identified the dried material, and |
| A contraband item would be something that had | | | | the woman then passed safely through the airport |
| been obtained through illegitimate means, such as | | | | check in. |