What would you accept for safer flying?

[ducklite]

Like I said earlier. Require anyone who wants to fly to submit to a background check, including fingerprints, retina scans, and procuring a valid passport.

Anyone who doesn't pass the check will be restricted in their air travel--perhaps no carryon, significant extra screening, etc. It would certianly cut out a lot of the problems we're facing today.

Anne

 

[TDC Nala]

If they told me I could not carry on electronics OR books I think that would be it.

 

[Charade]

True. But if they make it so restrictive that flying is so incovenient that it's jsut not worth it, they'll put a lot of people out of work as the public simply stops flying.

My husband is already saying he's had enough of the illusion of safety that they are trying to protray, when as well all know, "illusion" seems to be the key word. He's jsut not willing to jump through hoops anymore. We were planning a winter getaway, now he's saying if he can't drive there, he simply doesn't want to go. It has nothing to do with being a fraid, it has to deal with no longer wanting to deal with the BS that seems to accompany the illusion of safety.

Anne

Illusion?? How's that?

It's sad that you feel the safety procedures are an illusion. I'm sure that many who work to provide that illusion take their jobs seriously. If they stopped the illusion and something happened, then what would you say? You'd probably scream for more, tougher security measures.

 

[*Fantasia*]

Urine samples.. blood samples.. hair samples.. saliva samples.. retina scans.. and finger prints.. no jewelry.. no make-up.. no shoe laces.. all long hairs must be tied up.. no suits and ties or blazers.. all coats must be put in the luggage before checking them in.. none of those things on their heads that women muslims wear.. none of those things on their heads that nuns wear.. none of those things on their heads that the indians wear.. all pregnant women will have ultrasound..

whatever it takes.. just to get me there safely. i'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Illusion?? How's that?

It won't work. It doesn't make you safe.

They won't let people bring books on the plane because the pages can be soaked with chemicals. Sooo...the terrorists can soak their hair and their clothes instead.

You build a better mousetrap, they build a better mouse. And round and round we go.

The only way to end this is to make it so very unpleasant for the terrorists that they shudder at the thought of harming Americans. One guy says, "I have a plan to kill Americans," and the other guy is so scared by the idea of pissed off Americans that he takes out a gun and shoots him. Until that happens, the rest of it is just silly...and inconvenient.

It is nice that some people are soothed and feel safe, but it serves no purpose.

 

[jodifla]

It won't work. It doesn't make you safe.

They won't let people bring books on the plane because the pages can be soaked with chemicals. Sooo...the terrorists can soak their hair and their clothes instead.

You build a better mousetrap, they build a better mouse. And round and round we go.

The only way to end this is to make it so very unpleasant for the terrorists that they shudder at the thought of harming Americans. One guy says, "I have a plan to kill Americans," and the other guy is so scared by the idea of pissed off Americans that he takes out a gun and shoots him. Until that happens, the rest of it is just silly...and inconvenient.

It is nice that some people are soothed and feel safe, but it serves no purpose.

Well said.

 

[Charade]

It won't work. It doesn't make you safe.

They won't let people bring books on the plane because the pages can be soaked with chemicals. Sooo...the terrorists can soak their hair and their clothes instead.

You build a better mousetrap, they build a better mouse. And round and round we go.

The only way to end this is to make it so very unpleasant for the terrorists that they shudder at the thought of harming Americans. One guy says, "I have a plan to kill Americans," and the other guy is so scared by the idea of pissed off Americans that he takes out a gun and shoots him. Until that happens, the rest of it is just silly...and inconvenient.

It is nice that some people are soothed and feel safe, but it serves no purpose.

So should we just do away with the illusion of law enforcement? I mean, they can't be everywhere nor solve every crime so why waste all that time and money?

Are you saying to just let anyone and everyone board the planes without any screening since we don't seem to be catching anyone with the current burdensome measures?

 

[Cool-Beans]

So should we just do away with the illusion of law enforcement? I mean, they can't be everywhere nor solve every crime so why waste all that time and money?

Where I live, we have no cops. You could call the county Sheriffs, but by the time they got there, you'd be out of luck with whatever your problem was. And we get along just fine.

Are you saying to just let anyone and everyone board the planes without any screening since we don't seem to be catching anyone with the current burdensome measures?

No. I'm saying we should quit playing defense and not have Americans worried about when the next plane will blow up or whether nuclear bombs are going to go off or what is going to happen on August 22.

Innocent Americans shouldn't be the ones worrying. Terrorists ought to be the ones worrying.

 

[Lanshark]

Spend more time screening the people instead of the millions of items they could possibly use as a weapon.

 

[ducklite]

Illusion?? How's that?

It's sad that you feel the safety procedures are an illusion. I'm sure that many who work to provide that illusion take their jobs seriously. If they stopped the illusion and something happened, then what would you say? You'd probably scream for more, tougher security measures.

I believe that what is going on in our airports is an illusion. The real security is our intelligience that stops these plots. One of the terrorists arrested today was an airport employee. If you do'nt think the possibilities exist that terrorists have infiltrated our airports in the US as well, you're dreaming. And once the airports are breached, no amount of passenger screening is going to keep us safe.

I'd rather take away the people who are watching X-ray machines with closed eyes, too busy talking among themselves and taking a barely cursory look at tickets and ID's, etc., and divert more funds to intelligence.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Spend more time screening the people instead of the millions of items they could possibly use as a weapon.

Exactly!

I can nail you in the face with my high heel and put a major hurting on you.

I can jab you in the eyes with my fingers.

I can break your kneecap with a hard kick.

I can wrap my belt around you neck and choke you to death.

I can use a pen to jab you in the cartoid artery and have you bleed to death in a matter of minutes.

I don't need a "weapen" to gravely harm you.

Anne

 

[MrsPete]

No electronics means no laptop, no cell phone, no digital camera. These are things that I almost always travel with. If I wasn't allowed to travel with the last two, I probably would stop flying. Okay I know I would. Especially my cell phone. There is no way I would check that, my DSLR or my laptop. I could live w/o a laptop though.

Business travelers NEED these things. If they're no longer allowed to carry them on, the airlines are going to have to find a way to verify that these things are safe in the passengers' checked luggage.

 

[MrsPete]

Exactly!

I can nail you in the face with my high heel and put a major hurting on you.

I can jab you in the eyes with my fingers.

I can break your kneecap with a hard kick.

I can wrap my belt around you neck and choke you to death.

I can use a pen to jab you in the cartoid artery and have you bleed to death in a matter of minutes.

I don't need a "weapen" to gravely harm you.

Anne

While these things are all true, they don't have the potential to bring down a plane. You might attack one person -- probably an employee -- but the pilot's still going to be behind a locked door. And the other passengers stand a good chance of overpowering a few rowdy individuals.

It's horrible that people must live with these restrictions, but terrorism is affecting us honest people in many ways.

 

[Planogirl]

For me, they are at about the point where I quit flying. We already drive to Florida now and assuming we can ever afford it , I guess that traveling overseas again is out.

 

[ducklite]

While these things are all true, they don't have the potential to bring down a plane. You might attack one person -- probably an employee -- but the pilot's still going to be behind a locked door. And the other passengers stand a good chance of overpowering a few rowdy individuals.

It's horrible that people must live with these restrictions, but terrorism is affecting us honest people in many ways.

So the Septermber 11th terrorists had anything more for a weapon? Frankly the items I listed can be as lethal as a plastic knife. The cockpit door was opened from the inside in every case. You don't think that could happen again?

The best way to keep our skies safe is good intelligence, not harrassment of the flying public. Piss off enough people with knee-jerk reactions and ridiculous rules and the TSA won't need to worry about hiring enough people. There won't be anyone flying and half the airlines will shut down, and with that will come layoffs, both in the travel industry but also in the TSA.

Anne

 

[jen_uk]

Intelligence is fine when catching large groups of terrorists but what about when some nutter decides to make his own liquid bomb and take it on a plane for his own reasons? Intelligence can stop the big players that the Govt is looking out for but not individuals that want to bring down a plane. Thats why all liquids should be banned now.

 

[ducklite]

Intelligence is fine when catching large groups of terrorists but what about when some nutter decides to make his own liquid bomb and take it on a plane for his own reasons? Intelligence can stop the big players that the Govt is looking out for but not individuals that want to bring down a plane. Thats why all liquids should be banned now.

Honey, if you think that liquids in carry on's are the only thing that can bring down a plane...

This is as usual, a knee jerk reaction. It would be just as easy to have those same liquids in a checked bag and use a dotonation device that's carried on.

Anne

 

[jen_uk]

Did I say that I thought liquids were the only thing to bring down a plane? No I did not! I know you want to feel superior to everyone else but it would be nice if people could post here without your ridicule and sarcasm!

Liquid explosives are the latest threat and it seems to be one that anyone could carry out with household items!

 

[LindsayDunn228]

The world survived just fine a few years ago without cell phones, pda and laptops on airplanes. People have to realize they are not as important as they believe they are and their companies can survive without contact from them while they are flying. If you want to fly with those item, hire a charter jet!

 

[peachgirl]

I believe that what is going on in our airports is an illusion. The real security is our intelligience that stops these plots. One of the terrorists arrested today was an airport employee. If you do'nt think the possibilities exist that terrorists have infiltrated our airports in the US as well, you're dreaming. And once the airports are breached, no amount of passenger screening is going to keep us safe.

I'd rather take away the people who are watching X-ray machines with closed eyes, too busy talking among themselves and taking a barely cursory look at tickets and ID's, etc., and divert more funds to intelligence.

Anne

Amen!

All these new "security" measures are doing is making some people "FEEL" safer. We're no safer today when we fly than we were 2 days ago.

As long as terrorists voluntarily toss their bombs in the garbage next to my lipstick, we'll be just fine.