[ti:Airlines Begin New Security Measures for Flights to US] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.00]Five airline companies plan to question all passengers [00:07.02]on flights going to the United States starting Thursday. [00:11.88]The companies are beginning the security interviews at the request of U.S. officials. [00:20.32]The five airlines are Air France, Cathay Pacific, EgyptAir, Emirates and Lufthansa. [00:31.03]All five said they plan to carry out the interviews; [00:35.65]however, the airlines gave different descriptions of h [00:40.56]ow the passengers are to be questioned. [00:43.65]Some travelers may actually be questioned by an airline employee. [00:50.33]But others may be told to answer questions on a form or document. [00:56.24]The Associated Press says it was not immediately clear [01:01.72]if other airlines would be affected. [01:04.52]In the past, the international travel industry experienced problems [01:10.94]after the U.S. government announced steps to improve airline security. [01:17.55]The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has yet to comment on the interviews. [01:24.89]The new policy comes at the end of a 120-day time limit [01:31.48]for airlines to meet new U.S. rules after officials lifted a ban [01:37.82]on laptop computers on some Middle Eastern airlines. [01:43.10]Germany's Lufthansa Group said the new rules [01:48.56]come from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, [01:53.50]which reports to the Department of Homeland Security. [01:57.73]"In addition to the controls of electronic devices already introduced, [02:03.42]travelers to the U.S.A. might now also face short interviews [02:08.70]at check-in, document check or (their) gate," the company said. [02:15.00]The Lufthansa Group includes Germany's largest carrier, Lufthansa, [02:21.32]as well as Austrian Airlines, Swiss, Eurowings and several other airlines. [02:28.06]Air France will begin new security interviews on Thursday at Paris Orly Airport [02:36.49]and a week later at Charles de Gaulle Airport. [02:40.26]The company plans to give a written questionnaire to "100 percent" of the passengers. [02:48.46]Emirates said it will begin doing "pre-screening interviews." [02:53.63]Passengers flying out of Dubai are to be questioned at airline check-in areas. [03:00.92]The company will conduct interviews at boarding gates [03:05.70]for passengers changing airplanes during their travel. [03:09.57]It warned people flying through Dubai International Airport, [03:13.98]its headquarters, to allow extra time for flights. [03:18.71]"These measures will work in complement [03:22.34]with the current additional screening measures conducted at the boarding gate," it said. [03:28.03]Cathay Pacific Airways said on its website that it had suspended self-drop baggage services. [03:37.44]Passengers traveling to the United States [03:41.02]will also be given a short security interview when dropping off their bags. [03:47.47]Passengers traveling without bags will have a similar interview before getting on their flights. [03:55.59]EgyptAir said in a statement their new security measures [04:01.13]include interviews and more detailed searches of passengers and their belongings. [04:07.77]The measures will include searches for illegal agricultural or animal products. [04:14.90]These changes are the latest decision by President [04:19.78]Donald Trump's administration to affect international travel. [04:24.56]In March, U.S. officials announced the ban on laptops [04:29.60]in passenger areas on flights from 10 Middle East cities. [04:34.99]Officials said they were concerned that Islamic State fighters [04:40.29]and other extremists could hide bombs inside of the computers. [04:44.81]The ban was later lifted after the airlines began using devices [04:50.95]such as CT scanning equipment to inspect electronic devices. [04:56.46]That laptop ban, as well as U.S. travel bans mainly affecting Muslim countries, [05:05.37]have created problems for Mideast airlines. [05:08.92]Emirates, the largest airline in the area, [05:12.92]said it cut 20 percent of its flights to the U.S. in the weeks after the restrictions. [05:19.68]It was not immediately clear if the new rules affect other Mideast airlines. [05:26.34]Abu Dhabi-based Etihad told the Associated Press that its operations "were normal." [05:34.60]Qatar Airways has yet to say how the changes have affected its operations. [05:41.83]I'm Phil Dierking. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM