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New TSA rules regarding international travel back to US


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49 replies to this topic

#1 georoc01

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Posted 28 December 2009 - 07:02 PM

Has anyone else been paying attention to this? I thought it applied to domestic travel as well, but based upon my families experience yesterday it appears only to apply to international flights, and look to be from now on, with a randomness factor worked in, so be prepared for the worst

1) Pat downs both at screening and before boarding the plane

2) Limit of only one carry on bag and no personal item

3) New restriction of having to be seated for the last hour of flight including nothing in your lap such as pillows and laptop computers.

This past year I opted for a domestic vacation rather than one that was international. We are talking about doing the same in 2010.

#2 dive_sail_etc

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Posted 28 December 2009 - 07:24 PM

It would be funny if not so irritating, and tragically foolish. As I understand, the rules have been arbitrarily applied by Homeland Security (can I get a group synchronized eyeroll? Niiiice...) to International flights originating in the USA. Trick is, the threat has been consistently (with the singular exception of 9-11) manifested by terrorists boarding flights outside the USA. Where our rules don't apply. Where many flights originate in countries more aligned with the jihadist opinion and agenda than with our own.

Once again our own government leaps in panic to half-baked restrictions and measures laughably ineffectual, widely annoying and most importantly, not reciprocated by "allies" and "unaligned" regimes alike. Al Qaeda 4** , Freedom 0.

**The 9-11 attackers, the famous Shoe Bomber, the aborted "Shampoo Bombers" of London, and now the aptly named "Knickerbomber".

Just had to get that off my chest. :cheerleader:

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#3 lynnlchan

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Posted 28 December 2009 - 07:50 PM

Stop trying to confuse the situation with logic. :teeth:
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#4 Scubatooth

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Posted 28 December 2009 - 08:11 PM

All of these restrictions have been changed today according to a couple of links posted on frequent flyer websites. I'll agree with you dive_sail talk about about a hyperactive knee jerk responce by a us government agency that had no hand in this situation. I'll leave it at that as my views would violate the TOS wholesale.

#1 is true but yet the repeat groping makes no sense at all

#2 is only at London heathrow and is a regression to the restrictions that were put into place after the supposed liquid plot (which has been long sense been mythbusted as implausible despite what TSA says)

#3 this one is captains discretion or nixed completely depending on the airline or article you read. This one astonishes me as it was crazy from the word go. This one got zeroed in on by ADA advocacy groups as such policies are violations of ADA. I mean really what crime you gonna charge them with??? The incident yesterday on the same flight us a perfect example which would you prefer a passenger getting sick in the lav or all over the cabin floor

the airlines sufferred badly this year and because of this hyperactive knee jerk it's gonna get even worse.

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#5 WreckWench

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Posted 28 December 2009 - 08:19 PM

TSA and the airlines LISTENED when people wrote to them voicing reasonable and well thought out objections. A few voices can be very powerful in this manner. I am thankful for those who did so prior to my own objections sent earlier today. Apparently my predecessors were successful without my input, however I feel better having sent it. Kamala

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#6 Bubbles

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Posted 28 December 2009 - 08:23 PM

3) New restriction of having to be seated for the last hour of flight including nothing in your lap such as pillows and laptop computers.

What is magical about the last hour of the flight?

On NBC News tonight they said that on some flights this restriction included books. I read pretty much the entire time when I fly, so what am I supposed to do during that last hour???
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#7 georoc01

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Posted 28 December 2009 - 09:05 PM

3) New restriction of having to be seated for the last hour of flight including nothing in your lap such as pillows and laptop computers.

What is magical about the last hour of the flight?

On NBC News tonight they said that on some flights this restriction included books. I read pretty much the entire time when I fly, so what am I supposed to do during that last hour???


Well, the reasoning was that the suicide bomber was trying to detonate his bomb during the last hour of flight when the plane was over US soil.

There are options that could be taken but DHS seems to be reluctant to do that because of fears of discrimination and invasion of privacy. So we have to deal with these things which appear on the surface to do very little.

#8 hambergler

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Posted 28 December 2009 - 10:02 PM

It's all smoke and mirrors designed to make the great unwashed casual travelling public feel safe, just like the armed National Guard troops in the terminals after 9/11. I've made 15 round trip flights this past year; half the time I didn't even bother with the "baggie" procedure for my liquids (pit stick and toothpaste), and nobody caught it.

TSA screeners are just like their pre-9/11 predecessors--they're standing around underpaid and undertrained, joking and going through the motions. If somebody really wanted to bring down a plane in the US and they had half a brain, they'd do it. Beyond a certain point in the whole security envelope, you pays your money and you takes your chances.

Pretty soon the morons at TSA will have us boarding planes naked and they'll be making us ground ship our baggage.
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#9 Moose

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Posted 28 December 2009 - 10:05 PM

What really pisses me off is that not only do these new “procedures” not do ANYTHING for safety, but this recent incident PROVES that airline security is a total farce and amounts to nothing more than “security theater.”

If the US really wanted to do something RIGHT, use this as an example to gut the TSA and implement the Israeli model of airline security. It’s pretty amazing that NO AIRLINE PLANE has ever been hi-jacked or terrorized going to or coming from Israel. What is their magic formula? They talk to passengers and the PROFILE!

It is clear that the feel-gooders are tearing the western world apart!
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#10 peterbj7

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Posted 28 December 2009 - 11:28 PM

The really absurd thing about this most recent scare is that TSA had all the information they needed to stop this guy boarding and they screwed up. Guess who then has to deal with the consequences?

Did I ever write here about a my experiences at Houston whilst on my way from UK to Belize, a year or two after 9/11? I was body searched 8 times during the boarding process for the Belize flight, and each was so sloppy I'm sure that if I had had a ceramic knife strapped to my midriff it would not have been found. I almost said something at the time - almost, that is, I'm not totally stupid!

#11 dive_sail_etc

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Posted 29 December 2009 - 07:10 AM

Stop trying to confuse the situation with logic. ;)

:lmao:

Thanks or the sweet tweak, Lynn. I'm considerably calmer this morning (until my third cup 'o' joe, anyway...). :P

I look forward to meeting you and others in Belize soon! To paraphrase Admiral Farragut, "Dang the long lines and pat-downs, full speed ahead!" :teeth: (My patented torpedo dodging dance!)

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#12 DiveGeek

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Posted 29 December 2009 - 10:23 AM

What worries me about all these knee-jerk policies the TSA implements is that there is a segment of the American population that actually thinks these policies are making air travel safer. As well-informed, seasoned travelers we know better. However, think about all the stupid things you see people do at airports and on airplanes. I'm afraid that we may be in the minority . . .
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#13 Guest_PlatypusMan_*

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Posted 29 December 2009 - 12:03 PM

We'll see what it's like when I return from Western Australia next week.

I'm reduced to one rucksack on my back carrying a laptop, camera, couple changes of clothing and my medical records and prescription drugs from my hospitalization here--including crutches, xrays and letters from the local hospital detailing that I really DO have metal screws and whatnot embedded in my broken ankle to aid in healing now.

Not worried about the local Aussie authority--but the insanity that is TSA gives me considerable pause as I try to get home. Some of the drugs are self-administered in pre-filled ampule form, so I don't know if TSA will allow them on the aircraft or not with my Aussie letters for the final leg of my journey.

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#14 Mermaid Lady

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Posted 29 December 2009 - 12:29 PM

What worries me about all these knee-jerk policies the TSA implements is that there is a segment of the American population that actually thinks these policies are making air travel safer. As well-informed, seasoned travelers we know better. However, think about all the stupid things you see people do at airports and on airplanes. I'm afraid that we may be in the minority . . .


Welcome to Security Theatre.

Edited by Mermaid Lady, 29 December 2009 - 12:35 PM.

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#15 Mermaid Lady

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Posted 29 December 2009 - 12:32 PM

At the risk of venturing into forbidden territory, I will say my peace regarding TSA:

These guys have never to my knowledge, ever stopped a terrorist attack.

Every time that we adopt more restrictive travel policies, every time that we enact more and more ridiculous rules, and every time that we give up more freedoms in the name of security, the terrorists win.

(Moderators, if this is too political, please say so and I will be happy to delete this post. Sorry I just had to get this out of my system)
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