"People without aviation backgrounds have no business creating aviation security policy. These former cops, Army Rangers or whatever, who are authoring security policy for the aviation industry are no more qualified to know if a turbofan creates thrust or dries your hair."
Does Continental have an intelligence service? Do they have agents infiltrating terrorist cells? I don't think that having worked for an airline makes you necessarily better at doing security. No doubt the airlines do hire consultants at some point. People without aviation backgrounds can become plenty familiar with the ins and outs and airline security policies. Would you make the same expectation of the airline's IT staff? Should you have to have been a pilot to manage their website?
Right now you're seeing a knee jerk reaction from everyone until they have more details about the security threat worked out. Word has it that someone with unlimited airport access was in on the London plot, so for right now they're trying to work things out. Travel became quite difficult after 9/11, but it went back to normal. You will probably see the same thing here. They very well may ban either liquids and gels or electronics. You need both to make a bomb apparently, so they don't need to ban both. Then again, I haven't worked for an airline so why should I have an opinion? Right?
In any case, why is this in the CO OP forum and not the security forum?