Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/government-adjusts-airline-passenger-screening-rules Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript The Transportation Security Administration eased restrictions on airline passengers Sunday, while the Department of Homeland Security moved the terror threat level down a notch on flights from Britain. TSA chief Kip Hawley discusses the new security measures. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. GWEN IFILL: Just a few days after the government implemented strict new rules barring liquids and gels from airplane cabins, the Transportation Security Administration has now relaxed those restrictions somewhat, as the threat level for travel to and from Great Britain has also been lowered. The official in charge of finding the right balance between security and convenience is TSA Chief Kip Hawley. He joins us now.Welcome, Mr. Hawley. KIP HAWLEY, Transportation Security Administration Administrator: Thanks, Gwen. GWEN IFILL: Explain to us what was changed and why. KIP HAWLEY: Well, it's important to know that the security level stayed the same. And what we're looking for is, based on our learnings of the first day or two, what could we do to smooth out the operation?And things like a diabetic who would need glucose gel, some prescription medicine, things like that, lipstick, those issues we felt were not a threat, and we wanted to be clear that people could bring them on the aircraft. GWEN IFILL: So contact lens solution is OK, but a big, old jar of contact lens solution is not? KIP HAWLEY: That's correct. GWEN IFILL: when you say that you didn't lower the security but the threat was lowered, what's the difference? KIP HAWLEY: Well, in the U.K., they moved from critical or their version of red to severe. And that definition is imminent attack under their red to highly likely in their orange. And we wanted to match them with that, that we do feel the threat is very significant and it's very important for all of us to realize that this is a very serious threat. A week ago, we were at yellow, and now we're at orange worldwide. GWEN IFILL: So the change in the rules was mainly to make things move more slowly, not because you perceived any evidence of a lesser threat? KIP HAWLEY: Well, the imminent attack, there was less indication that it would be happening any moment. It is more that it is a very likely possibility, and we need to have a high level of security to match that. GWEN IFILL: Any way to know how long that's going to be in place? KIP HAWLEY: No, and we're going to follow the investigation in the U.K. They're learning things every day. And as we learn more, we evaluate where we are, and we do not have an artificial timetable.