State Department issues worldwide Sept. 11 travel advisory

By Melanie Mason, Los Angeles Times

7:52 p.m. CDT, September 2, 2011

Marking the upcoming 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, the State Department on Friday issued a worldwide travel alert, noting the continued possibility of terrorist threats for U.S. citizens traveling and living abroad.

So what kind of impact might the alert have on travelers?

"None whatsoever," said Michael McCarron, a spokesman for San Francisco International Airport, in an interview. "There should be no impact on traffic."

McCarron and LAX spokesman Albert Rodriguez both said they anticipated no extended waiting times or other logistical complications at their respective airports as a result of the alert.

The State Department said in a release that the alert was not pegged to any specific threats. But, it said: "U.S. citizens should be aware that Al Qaeda affiliates and allies have demonstrated the intent and capability to carry out attacks against the United States and our interests around the world. In the past, terrorist organizations have on occasion planned their attacks to coincide with significant dates on the calendar."

According to the State Department's website, travel alerts provide information about "short-term conditions, either transnational or within a particular country, that pose significant risks to the security of U.S. citizens." Friday's alert did not mention specific countries.

The alert expires Jan. 2, 2012, and supplements a similar advisory the department released in July.

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