Thanks for this thread! I just had a frantic few minutes checking all the news stories possible. Just to make sure I have this correctly...

For these flights:

DH and I from UK to Prague: nothing except passports and our wallets

From Prague to UK: everything alright??

My brother from Pittsburgh to UK: everything is alright except liquids

My brother from UK to Israel: nothing except passports and wallets (that's going to be interesting! 12 hour flight)

Just for planning purposes - this is in no way a complaint, I'm so glad that we have such dedicated people to keep us safe! But I hesitate to tell my brother he can't have a book/music with him on a 16 hour flight here from the states!

Thanks

I guess these protesters knew what they were talking about:
http://www.snopes.com/photos/politics/muslimprotest.asp

On a more practical side, this of course increases the risk that valuable items *might* be stolen from checked luggage--laptops, for example. Or damaged. I wonder whether the claim allowance will be raised.

I have a friend who works (in forensics, not security) at Scotland Yard, and agree with Tallaulah about the enormous and extraordianry amount of work they do behind the scenes to keep on top of things.

Good luck to any of you intrepid travelers out there who will be directly affected by today's situation. Time to put your sense of humour to work!

I'm busy looking for a small, fashionable transparent purse and rethinking my packing list for my trip in 2 weeks...this will simplify things considerably!

I'm waiting to hear whether it's worth setting out for Stansted for a flight this afternoon: I was due swap flats with a friend in Strasbourg this weekend. He's with a friend elsewhere in France and their flight's been cancelled, so he can't come here, but his flat's empty so I might still go. Not holding my breath though. It's a pain, but hardly the end of the world.

The hand-luggage restriction has been a useful exercise to look again at what I pack and carry, and whether I really, really need this or that on the flight - or at all.

Apparently the carry on liquid when released in the cabin combines with the atmosphere of the cabin to cause a horrific explosion. Very frightening!

you can see the full listing of permitted items at: http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...230418,00.html

According to the latest news on Sky, the targeted arlines were all American - United, Continental and American.

Flights from and to the UK from the European continent have been cancelled until at least 3 PM today.

Patricia

As an airline employee, I have always known that airport security is a farce. For one thing, who has every known whether any of those plastic water bottles was really full of nitroglycerine or not?

I don't have time to read this now but want to bookmark it for later. Ah, work... how it gets in the way!

Well, Gatwick is closed until 1500 at least. My flight to Madrid is scheduled for 1920. I will get to the airport early and just hope for the best.

I have decided NOT to bring my laptop - too much chance it will go walkies!

I was feeling inconvenienced and worried about the fact I would loose quite a bit of money on cancelled hotels. Then I considered that they might not have foiled the plot - the results would be unthinkable.

Puts the loss of a few hundred Euros in persepctive.

beaupeep : "if they wanted me to fly wearing a hospital johnnie" ?!? Don't know what a johnny is where you're from, but here in the UK it's a condom

I suppose it might be the real thing this time, but a lot of us here suspect these scares are just a device to make us accept further reductions in our civil liberties.

So, am I to take it that I won't be able to carry on my camcorder and digital camera? I'm flying from DFW to LGW on 9/1. *sigh*

As others have said, there's absolutely no way of knowing what the rules will be in three weeks' time - just keep abreast of the news.

BTilke, those photos are especially chilling in light of today's events.

caroline_edinburgh
many people in this side of ocean also often take that view and find any eightened security measures taken by governments instantly suspect.
The arrest of 21 people makes me regard this as something more serious. If you can suggest a really good alternative approach for the security people, please let us know!

If indeed this current plot has been "thwarted" then I suspect the planners are on to their next idea. So much of our security mentality post-9/11 is tantamount to closing the barn store after the horse got out.

All short haul flights out of heathrow have been cancelled. All easy jet flights from gatwick have been cancelled

Air Italia, Lufthansa; Air Fungus and Iberia have cancelled all UK flights.

Frankly - if you're flying in the next few days, check out your cancellation insurance.

Air Fungus?

Air Lingus (it's irish for oral sex)

I wonder how many seats will fly empty on <i>August</i> <b>eleven</b>.

I'm scheduled to go to Montana. And go, I shall.

Best wishes,

Rex

audere,