Officials: No new rules at JWA

Travelers going through John Wayne Airport will not have to go through any additional security measures because of an alleged terrorist threat aboard an inbound international flight to Detroit that was foiled Christmas Day, airport officials said Monday.

Because JWA handles domestic flights only, its security services are not clamping down with pat-down searches or other new measures for passengers flying in or out of the airport.

“We have our regular heightened security for holiday time. I’m not aware to anything specific related to the incident,” said Rachel Gibson, a JWA spokeswoman.

She said passengers flying out of JWA already are subjected to heightened security that comes with holiday travel, such as greater police presence at screening areas. Gibson declined to specify other security measures in place for the holiday travel season.

As of Monday, the Department of Homeland Security had its color-coded threat warning system at Orange, or “High,” for all international as well as domestic flights, according to the department’s Website.

Officials from the Transportation Security Administration were not immediately available for comment.

In instructions printed on the TSA’s website, international travelers can expect additional baggage checks or new rules when checking in and boarding a flight.

It’s been widely reported that a Nigerian man ignited a combustible powder that he had sneaked onto a Northwest Airlines flight Friday from Amsterdam to Detroit.

Witnesses reported hearing a small “pop” then seeing fire, according to published reports. Government officials have called the incident an attempted terror attack.