How might the Christmas Day possible terrorist attack change domestic air travel?

[ConnieB]

ABC News is reporting that the explosive material was sewn into the suspect's underwear. It was the same stuff the shoe bomber used. Having to remove shoes is annoying enough. Will we now be subjected to an undie check? The terrorists are constantly doing things to get around the various airport security measures. Now that the tighty-whities plot has been exposed, they'll move on to other means, but the rest of us will have to suffer the consequences of more rules and restrictions at the hands of the TSA. This latest episode shows the security holes. Nigeria may not be helpful, but that's no excuse for Amsterdam to have dropped the ball. The man was allegedly on a terrorist watch list. He shouldn't have been allowed on an airplane to the U.S. in the first place. Israeli screening practices have been very effective. Maybe it's time to take a look at how they do things, rather that enact another feel-good move to give the appearance of safety, while ingnoring the real problem.

I just read an article that say the bomber's father went to the US Embassy in Nigeria (making a long trek across his country to get there) to warn them of his son's religious beliefs and that son might try something. US did not find enough evidence to put son on the no fly list or pull his visa (which was valid from June 2008 to June 2010). Hmmmm, his own father says he's potentially dangerous and that doesn't warrant another look? I can see if some stranger said this guys a nut case and dangerous maybe not taking it too seriously (I can think of a half dozen people right this minute I feel that way about, lol)....but his FATHER reported him and it's brushed aside.

Yeah, I totally agree that we have to start using our brains when deciding who to give a little extra screening to....and anyone who has a relative warning us that he's dangerous would be high on my list for a very thorough check!

I'm not sure I'm understanding where not allowing passengers access or use of their carryon during the last hour of the flight is going to do any good. That's like the teenager's parents saying you have to be home before midnight so you don't get into trouble.......ummm, mom, dad, we'll just have to cause trouble before midnight. The bombers will just have to their thing an hour and 15 minutes before landing.

I know...it's all a conspiracy put on by the airlines.....when they started charging for extra luggage people started carrying more and more onto the plane, so now the airlines have set this up so that they can deny us carrying anything onboard and having to pay for extra luggage and carry ons too! Yeah, yeah....the voices are telling me I'm right.

Seriously....just like no terrorist is going to use shoes again....or probably even our own planes again.....now they won't use chemicals in their undies. Closing the barn door after the cow got out...that's our homeland security.

 

[TDC Nala]

I was thinking more of possible greater instances of pat-down searches and resurgence of the full body scanner (procedures that most Americans consider too intrusive) than a strip search requirement.

We also might be looking at one carry-on bag each but that would be to save time in having carry-on luggage hand searched. No way to know until there's some official announcement for US domestic flights.

Wondering about the "no items in laps for the last hour of the flight" thing. If this should come to pass as a standard rule, will one be allowed a book? I have a new Ipod touch and Sony Reader to assist in passing time during flight, but on a two-hour flight to Orlando if those items can be used for less than one hour I will need to consider carrying actual books again if books are to be permitted. It'd be too bad really. It's possible they just want passengers to sit where their hands can be seen, so maybe no books either.

 

[seashoreCM]

Wasn't there a nudist airline proposed at one time? Did it ever get any flights off?

Airlines must still transport, free of charge, the same size and quantity of baggage for each passenger for tickets already booked, as would have been permitted according to their published rules at the time of booking.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

What makes me mad is that on CNN reported he claims he is poor and wants a court appointed attny. But get this he comes from a very wealthy family. So we get to waste our gov money on a stupid foreigner.

He is listed on the TSA's "watch list" so why in the world are those on that list not required to go through some tougher security checks?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

This new rule is dumb. What is worse is all those folks who are on a short flight ( ie: from Cleveland to Cinncinnati) better use the bathroom before you board because technically the bathroom during your entire flight is off limits. I guess they will have to make an announcement when the are getting ready to board, "attention passengers waiting to board. Do to the short flight time the bathroom door on your flight will remain locked for the entire flight for your safety. So you better use the bathroom before you board."

 

[PolynesianLily]

I heard them say on the news this morning that during the last hour of your flight you cannot get up.

 

[maxiesmom]

This new rule is dumb. What is worse is all those folks who are on a short flight ( ie: from Cleveland to Cinncinnati) better use the bathroom before you board because technically the bathroom during your entire flight is off limits. I guess they will have to make an announcement when the are getting ready to board, "attention passengers waiting to board. Do to the short flight time the bathroom door on your flight will remain locked for the entire flight for your safety. So you better use the bathroom before you board."

On NBC this morning, they stated it was only international flights that had this new rule. But I am interested in hearing from anyone who has flown to see if they do indeed have this rule on domestic flights.

 

[xenole]

So that is why the are considering restricting cabin movement, and not allowing items in your lap. But all that does is help if someone wants to blow up a plane at landing. Nothing would keep someone from doing it mid-flight. Not trying to freak anyone out, but these rules make no sense!

THink it's based on the principle that if you were to blow up say a full 747 mid-flight, around 400 people would be killed, yet if you blow up the same plane nearer landing, which may involve it flying over residential areas, there's more chance of collateral damage.

What makes me mad is that on CNN reported he claims he is poor and wants a court appointed attny. But get this he comes from a very wealthy family. So we get to waste our gov money on a stupid foreigner.

Not to worry. He'll claim some sort of British citizenship, or claim the US is biased and he''ll get an unfair trial, and we'll be flying him 1st class over here and give him everything he wants like we do with pretty much every single terrorist who decides to pop to the UK. No chance of him ever getting deported from the UK as it will be a breach of his human rights as he may have problems with people not liking him in his own country. Doesn't matter at all what we think of him - European human rights take precidence always (unless you're a country other than Britain and then you pick and choose when to bother with them).

 

[*~PrincessBelle~*]

Im flying from YYZ to MCO on Friday with AirCanada..I'll let you know how the wait times/in-flight rules change

 

[PolynesianLily]

Im flying from YYZ to MCO on Friday with AirCanada..I'll let you know how the wait times/in-flight rules change

Thank you!
I am curious to find out this information.

 

[ImprovGal]

Wondering about the "no items in laps for the last hour of the flight" thing. If this should come to pass as a standard rule, will one be allowed a book? I have a new Ipod touch and Sony Reader to assist in passing time during flight, but on a two-hour flight to Orlando if those items can be used for less than one hour I will need to consider carrying actual books again if books are to be permitted. It'd be too bad really. It's possible they just want passengers to sit where their hands can be seen, so maybe no books either.

From what I've heard, it's no books, no airline seat pocket magazines, nothing. I'm sure part of it is so passengers sit where their hands can be seen. I've also heard of headsets being collected 90 minutes prior to landing so perhaps it's also so passengers in general won't have any distractions to keep them from noticing unusual activity.

Other changes: United and Qantas passengers have reported that on flights with personal inflight entertainment, the whole system was disabled for the entire flight. Conjecture is that it may be due to a lack of programming ability to disable just the "follow the plane" channel until Panasonic releases said patch. Others have reported that those in the flight deck are no longer allowed to give any updates of flight progress or location relative to landmarks (i.e. "for those of you on the left side of the plane, if you look out your window you'll see the grand canyon").

 

[Tozzie]

I am on a flight home now (gotta love in flight wi fi) it is a domestic flight and I will post later on weather or not we had to be in our seats for the last hour of a flight ( we were not told of this when we boarded so we shall see). I read that the "new rules" would be in place initially for 72 hours then re evaluated, I do have to say that I was surprised at MCO this morning, the security lines weren't that bad and it only took me 20-25 minutes to get through security. The only noticible change in security were the metal detectors, I never heard so much beeping, I think they may have changed the sesativity on them because too many were going off at the time.

 

[Flossbolna]

From what I've heard, it's no books, no airline seat pocket magazines, nothing. I'm sure part of it is so passengers sit where their hands can be seen. I've also heard of headsets being collected 90 minutes prior to landing so perhaps it's also so passengers in general won't have any distractions to keep them from noticing unusual activity.

Other changes: United and Qantas passengers have reported that on flights with personal inflight entertainment, the whole system was disabled for the entire flight. Conjecture is that it may be due to a lack of programming ability to disable just the "follow the plane" channel until Panasonic releases said patch. Others have reported that those in the flight deck are no longer allowed to give any updates of flight progress or location relative to landmarks (i.e. "for those of you on the left side of the plane, if you look out your window you'll see the grand canyon").

How sad!! Actually I think this rule, if enforced the way you describe it (not saying you are wrong!), will lead to lots of trouble for FAs. Imagine that after spending already 11 hours in cramped Economy Class seats on an intercontinental flight you are confinded to those seats for the 12th hour of your flight! All those people with back or knee problems or those with risk of embolisms will make a fuss about having to sit still without being allowed to move. People will also need to use the bathroom, especially since you are supposed to drink lots of water during a longhaul flight! Besides that: how will you keep kids entertained? I really do hope that this rule will not stay around! Exactly one months from now I will be on a plane from Germany to MCO, I would not be looking forward to that last hour!

Oh and I am sorry about being OT - this just seemed to be the thread to discuss the new rules - dom estic or international, so I did not want to open a second thread about it!

 

[twinklebug]

I am on a flight home now (gotta love in flight wi fi) it is a domestic flight and I will post later on weather or not we had to be in our seats for the last hour of a flight ( we were not told of this when we boarded so we shall see). I read that the "new rules" would be in place initially for 72 hours then re evaluated, I do have to say that I was surprised at MCO this morning, the security lines weren't that bad and it only took me 20-25 minutes to get through security. The only noticible change in security were the metal detectors, I never heard so much beeping, I think they may have changed the sensitivity on them because too many were going off at the time.

I think you're right about the sensitivity settings. I also wouldn't be surprised to see more dogs around to detect the scents of the chemicals used to make explosives... however it takes some time to find and train dogs for this job so it'll be a slow increase.

Have a great flight Tozzie!

 

[pxlbarrel]

I wonder what Air Canada considers a small backpack. I usually travel with all my photography gear and netbook in one Kata backpack. Not much else is in it except cords, batteries and memory cards.

 

[Desnik]

I just checked JetBlue's site and here is what they have posted:

Operations Update Last Updated: 12/27/2009 [12:00 pm EST] Customers on flights originating outside of the United States are asked to allow at least one additional hour for check in due to U.S. government mandated security procedures. Please note: JetBlue?s LiveTV programming will be inoperable on these flights as a result of these new procedures. Customers are asked to plan accordingly.

 

[DebbieB]

Breaking News - another incident on today's flight 253.

 

[mgilmer]

ABC News is reporting that the explosive material was sewn into the suspect's underwear. It was the same stuff the shoe bomber used. Having to remove shoes is annoying enough. Will we now be subjected to an undie check? The terrorists are constantly doing things to get around the various airport security measures. Now that the tighty-whities plot has been exposed, they'll move on to other means, but the rest of us will have to suffer the consequences of more rules and restrictions at the hands of the TSA. This latest episode shows the security holes. Nigeria may not be helpful, but that's no excuse for Amsterdam to have dropped the ball. The man was allegedly on a terrorist watch list. He shouldn't have been allowed on an airplane to the U.S. in the first place. Israeli screening practices have been very effective. Maybe it's time to take a look at how they do things, rather that enact another feel-good move to give the appearance of safety, while ingnoring the real problem.

Very well said, too!

 

[bumbershoot]

Besides that: how will you keep kids entertained? I really do hope that this rule will not stay around!

Seriously!

 

[Tozzie]

I am home now, I was on a domestic flight from MCO to LGA and we were not made to sit in our seats until we were ready to land, in fact I had to use the restroom and got up and used it about 20 minutes before we landed. I also used in flight internet right up until everyone had to turn off all electronic devices.

As for the incident on Christmas Day, I don't think Nigeria is to blame for letting this terrorist on the plane, I was speaking to my sister who flys with her family each summer to Morocco, she told me all people boarding flights to the USA and only to the USA are frisked, and she said everyone. Now this moron from Christmas boarded a flight from Nigeria to Amsterdam and then boarded a flight to the USA on a different airline. After reading the story of how his own father tried to warn US officials, we can place a big part of the blame on our own diplomats.