1.   American was, as usual, closely questioning passengers about their checked luggage, a procedure that not all airlines here follow.

2.   And pack carry-ons with at least one outfit per person in case the checked luggage gets lost en route.

3.   Another airline employee took us down to another end of the counter, where we watched our checked luggage go through a machine.

4.   Attention seems to be focused on asking passengers for more identification rather than on subjecting all carry-on and checked luggage to complete screening for weapons or bombs.

5.   Bag screeners X-rayed his checked luggage at JFK and found a Swiss army knife.

6.   -- Pack all items that may conceivably be used to cut, stab or strike someone in your checked luggage.

7.   Airlines and retailers recommend mailing wrapped gifts this year, or putting them inside checked luggage, rather than carrying them on the plane.

8.   Airline executives will now face even greater pressure to meet a January deadline for screening all checked luggage.

9.   But he said that the checked luggage and carry-on baggage of these passengers would still have to be screened.

10.   But he gave no hint that any of that money would be used to speed up the purchase and deployment of additional advanced technology equipment to screen checked luggage.