Update: 12/28 12:31PM
Apparently the TSA has updated the guidelines, and in true form has done a horrible job of communicating them to the traveling public. Other blogs have said that the rules involving flight one hour before takeoff no longer apply, which is good because they were the most annoying. Passengers, of course, will have to remain seated when instructed by crew. On the IFE front, JetBlue has resumed service, and United has said that it has found a way to disable the moving map, though it’s unclear if that still isn’t allowed.
Airlines still have baggage restrictions in place, and flights could still be delayed, so travelers should still check with their airlines about flight status or any policy changes.
Original Post:
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few days, you’ve probably heard about the attempted attack on Northwest Airlines flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit, and you’ve also most likely heard about some new security measures being implemented by the TSA.
First of all, while security has been stepped up at some airports around the country, these rules are directed at international flights arriving in the United States. From some of the news reports I’ve been seeing, that fact hasn’t been made completely clear. These rules include additional security screening at the gate (including pat downs and hand luggage checks), no moving map display (which often means no IFE at all), and not being allowed to get up in the final hour of flight. (You can see the entire directive here on Flying with Fish.) Unfortunately, the TSA has provided very little information about the new rules, so the airlines are stuck communicating the changes, and some have done better jobs than others.
Like many others out there, I think this is just a knee-jerk reaction from the TSA, and many of these rules will not accomplish much. I won’t be touching that since there’s been plenty written already. But, the TSA has a pretty limited “toolbox” right after an event such as this one. Remember the strict rules right after the liquids plot? These moves are most likely temporary, and the screening process will be adjusted later on.
But anyway, I mainly want to share some advice with those traveling, especially those who are flying to the U.S. from another country.
First, get to the airport early. This is a no-brainer.
Second, check your flight status. These additional security measures have been causing delays and gumming up operations, so check your flight status. Air Canada, for example, announced that it would be canceling some short-haul flying (mainly from Toronto to the Northeast) and “consolidate affected flights and operate larger aircraft.”
Third, see if your airline had made any adjustments to its baggage policies due to these new security measures. Some airlines, for example, are only allowing one carry-on item. This move is more due to efficiency rather than security. Restricting the number of carry-ons helps ensure that additional bag checks at the gate move quickly. And policies for checked luggage may have been changed as well. For example, US Airways is only allowing one carry-on, but as a result is temporarily waiving the first and second bag fees.
Fourth, be patient and polite! Airline staff are probably just as stressed as you are about all of these quick changes, so be nice! And while cabin crew are stuck enforcing these new rules, they aren’t the ones who made them, so don’t take it out on them!
Anyway, the rules will probably be changing soon – so I will post any important changes here.
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