new airline restrictions

[Allison Finch]

Let's make it really safer;

No carry-on and make everyone fly naked. No place to hide stuff.

Hmmmmm....no checked bags either.

 

[HowardE]

A regulator that is together sure, but I have carried a separate first stage in my carry-on, which I am pretty sure isn't something in the TSA manual.

FYI this is the battery I am refering to that I carry on with out suspecion

I think we need tougher airport security in general. Traveling in 2001 and 2002 security was intense. Screeners everywhere with rubber gloves hand chekcing random checked and carry on bags. I was probably getting pulled asside on just about every other trip I took. And often getting picked for the nitrate wipe tests.
This got less and less.
I have yet to get the note from TSA in my checked luggage this year saying it was searched, and haven't even witnessed other travelers being searched in quite a while.

If we could just find a happy medium, and do the random checks that are supposed to be happening, we won't have this massive disruption when we are on hightened alert.

I know I for one have been guilty of "cutting it close" getting to the airports for flights recently since I know the security is lower. I usually park my car about 30 minutes before my departure time. Now they are saying to get to the airport at least 3 hours in advance.

Again a battery is just a battery. If it was particularly huge, they may look twice, but I'm sure they know what they are - yours doesn't look particularly huge, like an old lantern battery, or one with lots of wires and plugs coming off of it... These people are somewhat trained.

As for arriving 3 hours early. I doubt that's the case anymore. I'm sure most airports have a security wait time hotline that could be called for up to date info.

You speak of a happy medium? I haven't noticed a large lapse in the security measures, just an increase in the knowledge of the people behind the desks. They seem more trained than ever... They know what to look for.
I fly monthly. I have been on 22 flights so far this year (2006), and find the security to be fairly consistent. I have noticed that the TSA doesn't ALWAYS put the little "thank you - your bag has been searched" cards in every time, but I know how I pack my bags when I do take checked luggage, and can tell they've been searched (sometimes) - Many airports screen each and every piece of checked luggage thoroughly. They advise you NOT to check film in checked baggage, because the X-ray machines they use on checked luggage is more powerful even.

The massive disruption of normality in this case is that the terrorists arrested planned on making a bomb from liquids. Simple solution - No liquids or gels at all allowed in. The main reason for the horror stories on Thursday was that a lot of travelers (like myself when I fly) take a bottle of water with them and/or carry on a toiletries bag, since I frequently don't even check a bag. A HUGE percentage of passengers on thursday were caught off guard, and packed as usual. This caused security to have to spend extra time with each person. By Friday, the lines in Denver at least were down to 10 minute wait. That's fairly normal.

 

[scubapolly]

Well I think it is ridiculous that people are allowed to carry on the luggage the way that we do.... a suitcase pluse a personal item, which for most people they carry a pretty large backpack/purse/breifcase for that personal item.

I usually only carry on what I can't replace easily if it is lost or delayed. My contacts, any perscription drugs, and I usually carry on my dive computer if I am diving. My laptop (and I've only started carrying that on since the airlines have required it, I used to even check that), cellphone, wallet and a pack of gum. Thats it on most trips. I can fit it all in my breifcase or backpack and usually have pleanty of room to spare.

Only if I am doing a big dive trip where I have a lot of gear on me (such as last month) and I have to take a good size carryon to accomidate the "heavy" stuff to stay under the weight requirements.

I am thoroughly annoyed by the people that carry on everything, they slow up the security line, the slow up the boarding, and they slow up getting off the plane.

I know people worry about losing luggage, and my mother is one of these that says you have to carry on a change of clothes incase of a travel emergency. My travel is somewhat sporatic, but I typically do 20-50 flights a year. I've been "stuck" without my luggage on a couple of occassions- stuck over night unexpectedly on a layover, or bags didn't make my flight. I say that is why God invented wal-mart. The airlines and most hotels have "emergency packs" with tooth brush, toothpaste etc in them, I've even had a hotel shuttle bus driver take me to walmart to pick up a t-shirt to sleep in and a pair of pantyhose and clean underware for the next day on one of these strandings.

I think if we went back to the old days of "size wise" and held people to reasonable sized carry-on items we'd solve a lot of the problems. I actually would welcome the regulations that Britan put in place this week where they gave the passengers essentially a gallon sized zip-lock bag to use as their carryon.

 

[Cacia]

Let's cut to the chase here....What are the implications for my cosmetic bag?

Can I still bring my down blanket?

This is all I really care about. No chapstick? No water? No lotion? This will mess me up. I would say this would make reconstitutable products a hot item. There should be places to buy one use amounts near the restrooms.

I am hearing no lipstick! This is going to be brutal. So..no mascara, but an eye pencil okay? You can see I am decompensating just thinking about this. I will probably get body cavity searches trying to smuggle make-up, I can see it already.
I think I may actually be getting frightened for the first time since all this chaos began.

 

[Diver Dennis]

No cosmetics Catherine, for now at least. The eye pencil might be OK but check to make sure.

 

[Cacia]

well, I am already planning my pencil kit....Think about this, Dennis, it just must be packaged differently. So...it was Al Queda. they just said on the news. Those ******* are messing with my life now.

Almity said hand lauggage was banned in Australia. Any chance of getting halfway to Indonesia and having my purse go in the trashcan?

I suppose lotion could go if it is prescription, and labeled with your name and physician. RX make-up, maybe that is my calling. Powder toothpaste? I thought explosives could be a powder too? And plastic exposives look like chewing gum.

 

[Diver Dennis]

well, I am already planning my pencil kit....Think about this, Dennis, it just must be packaged differently. So...it was Al Queda. they just said on the news. Those ******* are messing with my life now.

Almity said hand lauggage was banned in Australia. Any chance of getting halfway to Indonesia and having my purse go in the trashcan?

I know that my Cathay flight will allow carry ons but no liquids. The Duty Free people are pissed. I wondered why they didn't ban bottles of 151 on board planes. That was dangerous.

 

[Cacia]

What is 151? yes, I bet the duty free stores are screwed! They need to change gears quickly and do shipping stands in the stores. They need to sell one dose toothpastes, etc. Flying across the world without toothpaste will suck. Deodorant! Yikes, this is serious stuff. And are we going to be walking around with our tampons in clear plastic bags? I am really falling apart just thinking about the implications here. I am serious...I can't handle this. I guarantee this is going to be a big problem because people are going to start smuggling everyday necessities, you watch.

 

[Diver Dennis]

151 is very strong rum. Burns very well. No deodorant, tampons and napkins in plastic bag, no boxes allowed.

Cathay gives you a little bag with toothbrush and toothpaste and some antiseptic wipes, along with some other goodies.

 

[Cacia]

No Tampons?
who told you this? where is this written?