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Seating rule to be relaxed for Reagan National
YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSWASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Department of Homeland Security will suspend a regulation requiring passengers on planes approaching and departing Reagan National Airport to remain seated 30 minutes before landing and after takeoff, the department's chief said Wednesday. The rule was put in place after the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. Planes flying into Reagan airport come within five miles of the White House and therefore are considered a bigger threat than planes using other airports. "This 30-minute seating rule was a sensible measure when first applied," said Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff. "Now, almost four years later, significantly enhanced layers of security ranging from hardened cockpit doors to air marshals make it reasonable to eliminate this requirement." He was speaking at an event in which he detailed changes to his department. The crowd of journalists and Washington insiders applauded when Chertoff mentioned the change. The rule has been unpopular with many travelers who fly into and out of Washington on a regular basis. Chertoff gave no exact time for the change to go into effect, but a DHS official told CNN to expect it "within a matter of days." 
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