Airline Solution?

[SHRED]

No carry-ons, except for medical needs.

Next!

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. End the war and give everybody their very

own military drone. If they don't find an unoccupied runway they can clear one in a hurry.

[purduejake]

2. This is not the airlines' solution...

It is mandated by the governments. Believe me, we wish people could carry on baggage.

[Der Blaue Engel]

3. No thanks. Might as well make it nudity.

And while we're at it, no one should be allowed to bring anything anywhere. They could be carrying explosives.

[napi21]

4. I think we, as Americans, need to decide just how much we want to

give up to feel safe. I suppose you could make everyone fly NUDE (shudder) and take away all risk of any terrorist carrying something untoward onto a plane. ou could forbid ANY carryon of ANYTHING and jsut say if you can't survive without your meds during your flight, then don't fly. You could demand a thorough FBI background check before anyone could buy a ticket.

Of course, all those suggestions are absurd! But I really do think we all have to make a decision of just how much "pretend safety" do we really want. I call it pretend safety because the only way to be totally safe is not to fly, then you know you'll never be involved in a plane crash.

Panic and drastic reactions to incidents seems to be quite prevalent here in the USA!

[purduejake]

5. There is no way to be totally safe!

It's much safer to fly than to drive ANYWHERE.

[Protagoras]

8. Apparently we can't shovel away our dignity or our privacy fast enough

for a bit of illusory safety. There is NO SUCH THING AS ABSOLUTE SAFETY. But people won't figure that out till it's far far too late.

I keep asking myself when will it be ENOUGH and people will really say "NO MORE" but it appears that we aren't there yet. Let the absurdity continue.

[iamjoy]

6. Ever Fly?

First, consider the way airlines lose luggage, or delay it.
You get to your destination, it's 50 degrees colder than your origin, and you have no coat or gloves. You're flying for business trip and show up for your business meeting with 5 o'clock shadow (if you are male) and smudged, faded make up (females). After a 12+ hour flight and your body clock is several hours later, the last thing you want to do is try to find a drugstore in a strange city so you can brush your teeth and shower. And forget about the hotel having it. The amenities have gotten pretty scampy.

Next, imagine you are traveling with children. Children are not going to read the in-flight magazine and not all flights have movies, or movies that are kid-friendly. How to entertain the child? Bring kid books, toys, games, etc. Children need to eat every couple of hours, and you certainly can't count on the airlines to provide food anymore. You don't allow carry ons for this stuff and you're going to have some pretty cranky kids on that flight.

Finally, airlines seem to think that checked baggage costs them more. They have to pay some one to move it, haul it, etc. Some airlines are actually limiting checked bags and encouraging carry ons. This may not really save them money, because it takes time when people board and disembark the plane to stowe, move, etc the larger carry-on items.

It sounds like an idea in light of this, and we may eventually move towards it for security reasons, but it would totally suck.

[pitohui]

13. i suspect this person doesn't fly

the suggestion is just silly on the face of it, the airline and tourism industries would be destroyed

[Ilsa]

14. My husband was going to buy a dvd player for his flight

to London, but there isn't any point if the only thing he can have is a magazine. He will be soooo bored.

[whistle]

7. Just stop flying

[Protagoras]

9. Yeah, give up your job

lose your house. Let the kids go hungry...?

Not options for everyone immediately. I understand the impulse to say it...really I do. But I also know that some movements take longer to build have have to be approached in more than one simple way.

[wakeme2008]

10. BS,,,, I wil stop flying for vacations

:shrug:

[pitohui]

11. no point in much travel then, is there?

business people need their business stuff, laptops must be secure, not in baggage holds away from the business person's control -- how much of YOUR company's secure data are you willing to trust to an $8 an hour worker who supplements his wage by selling items on ebay that he obtained...oh..."somewhere"

leisure travelers almost universally want their comforts (favorite drinks, bottles of wine, etc) and digital cameras to record their thrilling journeys, w.out hydration and cameras, why travel for pleasure if half or more of the pleasure is lost?

[Freedom_Aflaim]

12. Not good enough

Nothing short of strip searches and body cavity searches will prevent bringing dangerous items on board.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

15. Other:

Walk.

[SoCalDem]

16. Here's my idea.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1870578

SoCalDemThu Aug-10-06 02:05 AM
Original message

No more easy flying.. Those days are gone forever.. Updated at 12:32 AM


I was lucky enough to have flown in the "glory days".. a REAL piano in the coach lounge of an inaugural 747 flight...I even sat in the co-pilot seat of a Pan Am 747 from JFK to San Juan (daunting)..

gone are the fashion shows on Air Jamaica...the fantastic T-Bone steak dinners on delta..

No more "stewardesses" in hotpants or sharp designer suits..

no more Calder planes (Braniff was the BEST)..

What we have now is a flying Greyhound Bus... or perhaps Continental Trailways (the Avis of bus lines..2nd best)


The whole flying thing MUST be re-evaluated and changed dramatically...and soon..

instead of billion dollar detection schemes, and acres of dazed would-be-passengers, airlines must start thinking out of the box..

Perhaps vacation travelers will just have to accept the fact that their luggage can no longer travel with them on the same plane.. Trains always had separate cars JUST for baggage..

Business travelers, may have to start tele-conferencing more and flying less..or perhaps sending their personal luggage ahead to the location they plan to visit.. Maybe deluxe hotels that cater to businesspeople could even offer that at a service, and have the luggage stored until the customer arrives, sans luggage..

Each airport could have a separate baggage warehouse (they could conference with Fed Ex)... Baggage-only flights for the whole day's schedule could be flown to airports twice a day.. Passengers would still get claim checks, but they would have to return to the airport to claim their bags....

It would be a hassle, but would it really be MORE of a hassle and expense than what we see in the future?

Terrorists would not get much glory for blowing up a planeload of suitcases..

The passenger planes could use a system similar to the way ole time swimming pools operated.. You arrived clothed, changed into your suit and stowed your clothing in a wire basket which locked.. You were issued a key which you pinned to your suit, and when you were ready to go home, you just claimed your clothes..

Airlines could have changing rooms where passengers would disrobe, and put on loose fitting jumpsuits and put their carry ons in a see thru baggie..

The clothing could easily be scanned for contraband without having to "probe" any people..

passenger planes would be lighter too without all that luggage too..

I even see job opportunities in this plan...

think outside the box;;;;