TSA changes.
 

The news this morning is full of reports of a man trying to commit a terroristic act on an international flight, apparently going into Detroit. While it is too early to have really accurate information about what happened, he apparently had a bag of powder strapped inside his pants, and injected some catalyst into it with a syringe. There might have been a misfire, because all he succeeded in doing was setting fire to his crotch. He was then overcome by fellow passengers and the flight crew, and was taken into the front cabin and held there until landing, when the authorities arrested him. (Is this a new way to get upgraded on an international flight?).

Anyway, TSA promises that as soon as they figure out what really happened (or sooner, the way they work) there will be changes in their procedures. After the instance with the shoe bomber, TSA made us all take off our shoes to get through security. After a plot to bring liquid components of a bomb on board was discovered, TSA limited the amount of liquids and gels we could bring through security, and made us all expose the liquids and gels for their scrutiny. Now they've found a man who smuggled the incendiary chemical in his pants. I shudder to think what TSA's next step will be.

I think we should all get some nicer underwear.

We're following this pretty closely since my husband and I are about to fly to and from Schiphol in a few days. I guess I'm glad security is heightened during my trip, but I'm sure not looking forward to the airport frisking.

From today's NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/27/us/27security.html?hp
"Among other steps being imposed, passengers on international flights coming to the United States will apparently have to remain in their seats for the last hour of a flight without any personal items on their laps. Overseas passengers will be restricted to only one carry-on item aboard the plane, and domestic passengers will probably face longer security lines."

Maybe TSA should just handcuff and chain all passengers to their seats for the duration of a flight, "for your security."

I wonder how rigid the remaining in your seats for the last hour would be? I guess I'll stop drinking or eating on flights from now on....

I believe the lavatories are locked for the last hour of the flight.

<<I wonder how rigid the remaining in your seats for the last hour would be?>>

I think it will be strictly enforced in the beginning, then in time they will lighten up. As usual they will over-correct then realize later it doesn't make a lot of sense.

I don't know why the last hour of the flight is so much more risky than the rest of the flight. If someone wants to blow up a plane they will simply do it in mid-flight instead of waiting until the end. I think this new requirement is ridiculous.

I so agree P_M, it doesn't make any sense to me either.

<i>I wonder how rigid the remaining in your seats for the last hour would be?</i>

You know you've been on Fodor's too much when you read this and the first thing you think is: Wally's not going to be very happy about this.

ms_go, LOL!!

My take on remaining seated for the last hour of the flight is that the latest bomber expressed a desire to have the plane crash on US territory. His geography is poor. Had the device functioned as presumably intended the plane would have crashed in Ontario. See today's Toronto Star.
http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/743003

Soooooooooooooooo, are we supposed to wet our pants in our seat? Locking the lavatories???? Some people have 5+ hour flights and need to used use the facilities near landing time. That is too long to "hold it". Thanks a lot stupid guy :(

I am in mid trip at this moment and now dreading the trip home. Nice Holiday, yeah right!

During the time TSA required u to remain in your seat 30 minutes out and 30 minutes b4 landing at National (DCA) they really enforced it both ways. They never let up either. Don't remember how long they held that in place but it seemed for quite awhile. They would announce when u neared the timeframe, so u had a chance to get up and use the bathrooms. U did get used to it, but overall it was a PIA.

Sure, gotta control that 75 year old grandmother!!! She might be up to no good!!!! Will we -ever- learn to put suspicion and restrictions on those types of personality profiles that have proven to be a threat/danger/murderous???

regards - tom

According to an article I read, the one-hour rule was enforced yesterday during a New York to Tampa flight. Basically the airline was saying: If anyone wants to blow up the plane during the first few hours of flight, go ahead. It's acceptable for the plane to crash, but just not during the last hour!

There is also the new "nothing on your lap" rule during the flight's last hour. After all, the books passengers are reading could be bombs in disguise!

What bothers me even more is the "only one carryon" rule, which would have done absolutely nothing to stop the Nigerian's attack (he had only one carryon), and would do nothing to reduce the likelihood of a terrorist attack.

Now, I can understand having some sort of timing rule for cities that are near the border, such as Detroit (although even there one hour may be excessive). But figuring out the various lock-down times would require airline security managers to possess a minimum level of intelligence, so instead they they take what is for them the easy way out, by imposing a country-wide rule that is completely senseless for most locations.

If they continue to enforce this stupid rule about sitting for the last hour then they will need to change the times they serve meals. Isn't the last meal usually served and finished just before landing? They can't serve a meal and then tell people not to use the bathrooms.

These new rules are stupid on so many levels, but that is just one of the changes that needs to be made in order to accomodate. <eyeroll>

Oh, and about the single carry-on: Do they really think a terrorist needs more than one carry-on to blow up the plane? They don't even need ONE carry-on, as mentioned above. So why are the rest of us forced to pay fees and check bags when we don't need to?

I'm very glad the people in Detroit are OK but I'm really mad about these new rules. If I thought the new rules would help to make us safe then I would be all for it, but it's not going to make a difference.

Thanks for letting me vent.

I was about to comment on the contiguous meal-time/last hour before landing, too.

the regs. are becoming incredibly stupid, IMO.

I think the one-carryon rule is there to limit the amount of stuff that has to be screened. If they're screening at the security checkpoint and again at the gate, it will go a lot faster if people aren't bringing multiple bags on board the plane.

I dont mean to have an "attitude!" BUT....doesnt it seem as if the terrorists are winning already and they dont even have to be successful.

There just has to be more common sense solutions to things....instead of all these new rules to make us think they are in control....when obviously they are not!