New Air travel rules now in affect.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

This is all due to yesterdays attempted bombing,

Transportation Security Administration Has New Rules for Airline Passengers - Sphere News

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Lately, I have seen more dogs trained to sniff for food at airports than I have seen bomb sniffing dogs. Go figure!

[MargeS Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close MargeS]

I bought a nice contour pillow at Bed, Bath & Beyond a few years ago. I purchased a pillow case for it. I had travelled (flight) with this pillow for perhaps 5 trips (at least 10 security checks).

October 2009, we were going through security at Las Vegas airport. They asked who the pillow belonged to, and separated me from my family. I was asked lots of questions. Turns out, the pillow had a gel pack (a good 10-12 oz) inside, that I was totally unaware of (I had actually never taken the plastic off, just put the pillow case over). They removed the gel pack, and determined that it was what it appeared to be, and that I did not know about it. Kept it, and sent me on my way.

I was very surprised by it all. first that there was such a thing IN the pillow, and then that it was not found before this trip... Kind of scary.

We really do have to be diligent and not expect security to find everything.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Just got back from Spain and gotta say that the Security is a bit of a joke.

In Madrid they had AA employees asking us questions about our luggage and if anyone had had our luggage and if I packed it and lots of other stupid questions. They didn't even X-ray our carryons between Malaga airport and the International flight to the US. The security was more of a joke in Malaga. It makes you wonder what they are thinking. So many radicals living in that part of the world and the security is a joke.

Now, when I visited Israel on El-Al, that was another story. Took our tour group almost 4 hours to clear their security at JFK and the same thing on the way back from Tel-Aviv and that was in 1996 way before 9/11. They take this stuff seriously and will make you unpack you luggage right in front of them and they make you take everything out and they actually search it by hand. Obviously the x-ray screeners are asleep at the switch sometimes.

I hate flying these days because it is such a hassle but I do remember that we are still at war and don't complain about the screening when it's done, which isn't often unfortunately. I miss the Pan Am days when they remembered Lockerbie and took this stuff seriously. Too bad security is slacking in Europe.

[Keitht Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Keitht]

Just got back from Spain and gotta say that the Security is a bit of a joke.

In Madrid they had AA employees asking us questions about our luggage and if anyone had had our luggage and if I packed it and lots of other stupid questions.

The questions asked at all airports are standard ones, but I grant you they are pretty pointless. Not as stupid I suggest as one on the Visa Waiver forms we used to have to complete on flights into the USA. "Have you ever been or are you now involved in espionage or sabotage; or in terrorist activities; or genocide......." I wonder if anybody actually answered 'Yes' to that one.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

The standard questions Chriske mentions are asked in order to ensure that if contraband is found in your bags after you check them, you can't deny responsibility.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Just got back from Spain and gotta say that the Security is a bit of a joke.

In Madrid they had AA employees asking us questions about our luggage and if anyone had had our luggage and if I packed it and lots of other stupid questions. They didn't even X-ray our carryons between Malaga airport and the International flight to the US. The security was more of a joke in Malaga. It makes you wonder what they are thinking. So many radicals living in that part of the world and the security is a joke.

It doesn't affect them directly and, even if it did, they'd blame it on the USA and expect America to do something about it, then complain about whatever we do. It's just not as big of a deal to them and they're not going to spend additional money on the combating the problem. To many other social institutions to spend money on rather than security they see primarily as an American problem.

[Hoc Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Hoc]

I flew back from Hong Kong on Christmas night. Purchased two bottles of Lynch Bages at the Duty Free store while in the airport. They were delivered to me outside the plane, and I put them in my carryon. After I showed my boarding pass and went onto the ramp to board the plane, the Chinese authorities were searching luggage on the ramp. They confiscated all liquids, including the two bottles of wine I had just bought, duty free, for about $300.

They told me that the TSA was requiring it. They would not allow them to be checked at the gate, and if I were to go back to the check-in area (a 45-minute walk each way), I would miss my plane to Los Angeles, which was leaving in about 30 minutes.

Now I know that it was part of these new, ridiculous rules the TSA put into effect on the spur of the moment. But it makes it no less irritating that I lost $300, without any recourse, despite following all the rules, on the irrational whim of the TSA.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

I flew back from Hong Kong on Christmas night. Purchased two bottles of Lynch Bages at the Duty Free store while in the airport. They were delivered to me outside the plane, and I put them in my carryon. After I showed my boarding pass and went onto the ramp to board the plane, the Chinese authorities were searching luggage on the ramp. They confiscated all liquids, including the two bottles of wine I had just bought, duty free, for about $300.

They told me that the TSA was requiring it. They would not allow them to be checked at the gate, and if I were to go back to the check-in area (a 45-minute walk each way), I would miss my plane to Los Angeles, which was leaving in about 30 minutes.

Now I know that it was part of these new, ridiculous rules the TSA put into effect on the spur of the moment. But it makes it no less irritating that I lost $300, without any recourse, despite following all the rules, on the irrational whim of the TSA.

I really feel bad that you lost your expensive wine but what do you expect from these stupid bureaucrats? It is our Government at work! They do such a great job and now they want to do even more for us and will make a bigger mess of that too. Just mark my words.

[Keitht Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Keitht]

If what I am reading in the press today is anywhere close to accurate then there were some massive failings in security. It is claimed that:-

The bomber's father had actually reported serious concerns about his behaviour to the US consulate in Nigeria some weeks ago.
The bomber had been refused a visa to the UK in May '09 and the US authorities are provided with that information.
Despite that action it seems that the bomber did not appear on any 'no fly' or 'watch' list issued by the US authorities.
*The bomber had purchased a one way ticket, *via another airport, *with cash.
*The bomber had no checked luggage.
Any one of the actions marked with * above should have alerted the authorities to carry out additional checks on the person before they were allowed to board an aircraft.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

I thought I heard he was on a "watch list". The failing to see and act upon the red flags was done in other than the US or UK. It appears that Amsterdam should had picked up on the red flags.
What we need is more security on flights inbound to the US, and continued vigilance on US security.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

He was on one watch list but not another. There are several. Does that make sense?

[Keitht Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Keitht]

The failing to see and act upon the red flags was done in other than the US or UK.
What we need is more security on flights inbound to the US, and continued vigilance on US security.

I was under the impression that airlines had to provide details of all travellers to the US 48 hours in advance of travel. That was allegedly so that the authorities in the US could vet all potential travellers before they travelled. If that is the case it doesn't exonerate the security operations in Nigeria and/or Holland, but does still raise questions over the quality of the checks made in the US or the methods used for sharing the information.

[1950bing Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 1950bing]

Quick, close the barn door ! The horse just got out !!!!!!!!

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

No checked baggage should not be a criteria for added checks. Many of us, who hate the wait for baggage, hate damage to our bags by the airlines' baggage mishandlers / luggage throwers, etc. try to travel light, using only a carry on.

We ought not to give in to ''political correctness''. At this juncture we do not have Hindu terrorists, Lutheran terrorists, Budhist terrorists, etc. They need to do the proper profiling and check the groups whose extremists produce these terrorists.