Airlines: New rules keep passengers in seats

[babylonsister]

Airlines: New rules keep passengers in seats

By JOAN LOWY, Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON – Some airlines were telling passengers on Saturday that new government security regulations prohibit them from leaving their seats beginning an hour before landing

The regulations are a response to a suspected terrorism incident on Christmas Day.

Air Canada said in a statement that new rules imposed by the Transportation Security Administration limit on-board activities by passengers and crew in U.S. airspace. The airline said that during the final hour of flight passengers must remain seated. They won't be allowed access to carryon baggage or to have any items on their laps.

Flight attendants on some domestic flights are informing passengers of similar rules. Passengers on a flight from New York to Tampa Saturday morning were also told they must remain in their seats and couldn't have items in their laps, including laptops and pillows.

The TSA declined to confirm the new restrictions.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement Saturday that passengers flying to the U.S. from overseas may notice extra security, but she said the measures "are designed to be unpredictable, so passengers should not expect to see the same thing everywhere."

A transportation security official speaking on condition of anonymity because the official wasn't authorized to speak publicly said passengers traveling internationally could see increased security screening at gates and when they check their bags, as well as additional measures on flights such as stowing carryons and personal items before the plane lands.

more...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091226/ap_on_bi_ge/us_airline_attack_regulations

[ClusterFreak]

1. Uh, obvious question here...

What if you have to go to the restroom?

[LisaL]

26. I guess you have to just go right where you sit.

[Matariki]

31. hmmm. I'll have to remember to wear a skirt

and no underwear. x(

this is so dumb.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

33. Besides the humiliating searches we'll all be wearing Depends

before this nightmare ever ends. I hate traveling anymore. If I had to do it for a living I'd starve.

[bluestateguy]

2. I guess I'll need to bring a bottle for pissing

nt

[NJmaverick]

3. Sad fact of life, the terrorist usually manage to hurt us

even if their plans fail

[walldude]

14. Yeah... well the whole point is to terrorize us.

That's why they call them terrorists.

[Loge23]

4. Freedom has been grounded.

The real sad thing is that TSA will continue to treat everyone as guilty while actual terrorists will continue to circumvent the absurdist protective measures designed to "protect" us.
I'm willing to bet that while the alleged perp (who, btw, is now a non-person according to Obama and the Supremes) boarded, security was probably patting down Grandma.
TSA: Take your bogus security measures and shove them - I'm done with airlines.

[enlightenment]

5. Oh, yay.

Why don't they just go ahead and knock us all out for the duration? Then they could stack us like cord wood and wouldn't have to provide meals . . . or even seats.

Or maybe they could just install stocks for each seat and lock everyone up for the flight? They could come around once an hour and give everyone a sip of water through a straw, so as not to be accused of cruel and unusual punishment?

I remember anticipating a flight with pleasure . . . now it's just a horror to endure.

[Kutjara]

10. A few months after 9/11, I remember saying...

..."within a decade, we'll all be required to wear orange jumpsuits and have our ankles chained together whenever we fly." I may have been off by a couple of years, but that's about all.

[necso]

6. What's different about the last hour? /nt

[HipChick]

7. you are usually landing..

[enlightenment]

11. And the plane is probably in US airspace.

Note that the new 'rule' applies only to US bound flights.

[necso]

17. And?

I could understand if they were especially concerned about downing a plane over a populated area. But a plane typically travels a lot of miles in that last hour. And how much of this is going to be over a populated area would vary quite a bit by route.

And when you're actually landing, as I recall, you have to stay in your seat anyway.

But perhaps I should have asked "What's different about the first 45 minutes (or so) of the last hour?"

[Kutjara]

8. "The measures are designed to be unpredictable,..."

"...so passengers should not expect to see the same thing everywhere." Sounds like the perfect wording to justify almost any kind of obtrusive petty-power-trip posturing by ground and cabin staff. They can pretty much tell passengers to do anything they want, and We Must Obey. It's for our own safety, dontcha know?

Also, the knee-jerk policy of implementing restrictions that will merely prevent a specific type of attack is absurd. Some guys use boxcutters to hijack a plane: we can't have nail clippers. A guy tries to give himself a hotfoot: we have to take off our shoes. Some guys fantasize about making liquid bombs: we can't have liquids. A guy has some firecrackers in his lap: we can't have laps. I hope to hell the next guy doesn't try to smuggle a bomb up his ass or we'll be grabbing our ankles at passport control for the next twenty years.

"Terrorists," whackos and the sociably-suicidal will always find ways around such rigid thinking, and the "unpredictable" measures noted above will be, I'll wager, anything but. What they will be is intrusive, obnoxious and all about making the person in the uniform feel important.

[necso]

24. One of the funniest posts

I have ever read here.

Let's hope that they'll at least change gloves (condoms, whatever) between passengers.

And not that I want to give them any tips or anything, but an ass-bomber had better use some quick-burning fuse.

[TexasObserver]

9. The overreaction to the threat has ruined air travel in America.

Already flight attendants have been transformed from helpful air waitstaff to mini tyrants.

[aquart]

12. An HOUR???? Another insane, pointless, DANGEROUS ruling.

[walldude]

13. Unbelievable isn't it...

This is just as fucking stupid as the no water rule, the no lighters rule, the no sewing needles rule, and my favorite from this year, the no SNOW GLOBES rule.

[aquart]

27. Hold on. Back up. NO SNOW GLOBES?

[HipChick]

22. how long ..before someone shits all over a seat or overflows their Depends.

[Odin2005]

15. That does it, looks like I'll never be able to go on a plane, then

[mantis49]

16. So, an hour of twiddling my thumbs

instead of reading a good book because my book is such a big threat.

[Flaneur]

18. Al Qaeda wins again. Now we have to terrorize ourselves all over again.

And enjoy reduced freedoms and increased hassles. Great.

[regnaD kciN]

19. That woudn't have stopped the "underwear bomber"...

...but would mean that the guy who tackled him would be subject to criminal charges for leaving his seat. :crazy:

[Bluebear]

20. Marvelous. Will TSA be publishing their lastest screening secrets online again?

Idiotic ruling.

[devilgrrl]

21. Yeah, keep people crammed in those little seats for an hour! You won't have any schitz-outs...

:wtf:

[thelordofhell]

23. As if people were running around willy-nilly before this

I seem to remember people only got up to use the restroom in a flight. Except for kids.

[kestrel91316]

25. Well, that will make it ILLEGAL to get out of one's seat to stop the NEXT terrorist.

Smart move.

[ThatsMyBarack]

28. They should put in auto-locking seatbelts....

Or have the attendants chain and cuff passengers to their seats!

[cascadiance]

29. So does Southwest Airlines cut costs by taking out restrooms?...

I don't think they have many flights over an hour do they? Restrooms won't ever be used, so why have them then?

I can see them now being the airline that "An airline where you won't do anything until you land after you take off1"

[Manifestor_of_Light]

30. I hope they get sued after someone dies from not moving.

Deep Vein Thrombosis. Caused by sitting in one place too long, and some get clots in their legs. People have walked off planes after long flights sitting for hours, and then died.

I hope they get sued.

I also hope they get sued for humiliation and intentional infliction of emotional distress when someone has to poop their pants, or has a medical condition like irritable bowel or something where they will poop from nervousness, and the whole planeful of peeps will smell it and be miserable and agitated.

There are plenty of people who need to drink lots of water and go to the john frequently for their health. Kidney disease, bladder disease, and just generally staying healthy. Not to mention all the guys with WSP (Watermelon Sized Prostate) who have to get up and go often.

I hope they get sued for their damn rules. They are medically dangerous.


Southwest goes from Texas to California. That's a pretty long time.
They are definitely over an hour in many cases.

[BlueCollar]

32. and the airlines will get blamed...n/t