Longer airport lines, but few complaints

Passenger lines began forming early Friday at Miami International Airport.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Passengers faced longer lines and more delays across the United States on the first day of federally mandated baggage screenings for explosives, but most seemed to accept the new security measures.

At Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, there were a few complaints about longer lines, but officials and most passengers reported things moved smoothly.

"I thought the lines were going to be a lot longer than they were, and this is actually pretty good," said a female passenger. "Curbside check-in took a minute."

The new guidelines allow airlines to meet the tighter requirements in a variety of methods. Some luggage was hand-searched while others were put to bag-matching procedures, ensuring that no bag put into the hold of a plane didn't belong to a passenger on that flight.

VIDEO CNN's Frank Buckley offers a first-hand look at the possible travel hassles resulting from the FAA's new checked-luggage screening requirement (January 18) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Starting January 18, airports will begin employing a variety of new techniques to screen passenger baggage. CNN's Julie Vallese reports (January 17) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   EXTRA INFORMATION Paw enforcement: Bomb-sniffing dogs head to airports  as tougher bag-screening measures are implemented nationwide.   THE SYSTEM Airport security: A system driven by the minimum wage PREVIOUS WARNINGS Warnings over airport security preceded attacks COMPARING U.S. TO EUROPE Outside the U.S., a different approach to air security SOLUTIONS Boosting security puts focus on government's role  GRAPHS & CHARTS  • Top 25 Airports  • Airport Security by Year  • Airline Security by Year  • Airport Wages

For now, Department of Transportation officials said, they'll only require bag-matching on the first leg of a passenger's trip. They say 65-70 percent of all flights are single-leg flights.

Travelers changing their ways

Still other airports used bomb-sniffing dogs, and 53 airports in the country used large, explosive detection machines. In most locations, that technology was put to use mainly for international flights.

Dulles International Airport, just outside Washington in suburban Virginia, chose the higher-tech procedure Friday, which created lines that snaked across concourses.

Most travelers appeared to take the lines in stride. "They're welcome to go through anything I have, at any point. So my safety is worth my time," said one passenger.

Others said the new regulations made them change their traveling ways.

"That's why we made sure we were here on time," said one woman standing in line. "And we packed only one suitcase, instead of two."

Some passengers at Atlanta, Georgia's, Hartsfield International Airport said they arrived for their flights as much as three hours early. Airport officials there reported long lines but not major delays.

Airlines advised passengers to come about two hours early for their flights. Any earlier, officials said, could actually increase congestion at airports.

Passengers seemed willing to face increased baggage inspections, many in full view of their fellow passengers.

"It is embarrassing," said one traveler, a woman. "I'm sure it's something that they feel is necessary, but it's quite embarrassing."

In Colorado, Denver International Airport reported no major flight delays. Some passengers said they gave themselves an extra 30 minutes to deal with the increased inspection procedures.

In Oregon, Portland International Airport reported smooth operations and mostly on-time departures. One official said the airlines in Portland had been testing the new safety measures in previous weeks, and that seemed to pay off.

Critics: Patchwork approach

Airlines are responsible for security measures until February 17, when the federal government takes over screening responsibilities.

Congress mandated tougher security procedures following the September 11 terrorist attacks against the United States in which four commercial jets were hijacked and crashed.

United States Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta outlined the new guidelines earlier this week, citing a "multilayered system of security" that will allow airlines to screen luggage.

Federal lawmakers have also mandated that by the end of this year, enough explosive detection screening machines be in place -- some 2,200 machines -- to screen every single checked bag

Some aviation experts insist it is still not enough. "I think we have a patchwork right now of trying to respond to the latest threat that we hear about," said Michael Goldfarb, a former Federal Aviation Administration chief of staff. "The system is not a system yet in this country. It is a patchwork of different approaches to security. We're playing catch-up."

Suit filed by screeners

In another development, the union representing baggage screeners at Los Angeles and San Francisco international airports in California and the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California on Thursday filed a lawsuit challenging the new requirement that airport screeners be U.S. citizens.

The requirement is part of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act enacted last November.

The citizenship requirement would bar legal immigrants from working as airport screeners, although no such requirement exists for members of the U.S. military, airline pilots, baggage handlers, flight attendants, cargo loaders, mechanics, guards and plane cleaners, according to Mark Rosenbaum, legal director for the ACLU in Los Angeles.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.