This is a short way of trying to reduce the wait for getting through the current security procedures.

The basic rule is simple: faster,better,cheaper - pick any two.

We used to have faster and cheaper, now we moving towards better and cheaper - though it will take a while to make the shift. As a result, lots of things will be done in the name of "security" which are really about holding down the cost of implementing security, and not about security itself.

However, if a 15 dollar a ticket security tax were slapped on to pay for a new security system, I imagine there would be screams of agony, cries of revolution and moans of persecution on these boards.

Personally, I would rather pay the tax for the additional speed, or at least have a choice of airlines were some charged the money and allowed people to be moved through quickly - while those flying on shaving every dime and willing to pay the 2 hour wait out of their convenience could go through a slower system.

Hey, NJDAVID, perhaps you can start a movement to DENY a freddie to the FAA...

[This message has been edited by cigarman (edited 10-09-2001).]

As one who only travels with a small carry-on & a purse (I do lots of laundry in hotel sinks), I applaud this measure. I agree that this should serve to 'speed' up the procedure of passing through security, not to mention freeing up some space in the overhead bins. Now though, we still have the problem of the 'size' of the carry-on being allowed!

I think waiting for the airlines and government to give us what we want got us into this mess in the first place.

I think we have to find a way to tell them we pick "faster, better" and screw cheaper.

Besides even at $20 a ticket, this is not the kind of increase that most travelers moan about. We get upset when a $250 fare suddenly becomes a $450 fare.

We should ask Randy to propose a draft "Frequent Flyer's demands" statement and if we can all agree on some basic points, forward it on our behalf to the FAA and elected officials.

I can see it now - 6 pages of threads on the type of font........

re: Besides even at $20 a ticket, this is not the kind of increase that most travelers moan about. We get upset when a $250 fare suddenly becomes a $450 fare.

$20 a ticket for what? Going through all these bags is nothing but an illusion. I do not want to pay money so somebody can feel better. We have been flying 30,000 flights a day for years now and doing fine. If you think all this "stuff" they are doing is why there have not been more hijackings, you are being naive.

PS - I have great compassion for those that perished, partly because we have all been taught in the past to passive when some looney tune tries to hijack a plane.

Hand checking every bag is just stupid. Pawing through my underwear with rubber gloves does not make the world safer for air travel. Are they going to open every little bottle of liquid, tube or jar of cream and inspect each hot roller to see if I'm trying to get something past them? I only take one
carry on and a very large purse. Maybe I'll have to start wearing my extra clothes instead of packing them to speed up the line.

I heard the FAA 1 carry-on plus briefcase limit on the radio before my flight today, and observed at SJC and SNA that it wasn't being rigorously enforced yet. Saw several passengers with rollaboard, computer case and something else, typically a backpack or large purse. There was one person who even violated the former 2 carry-on rule.

In Atl. ,yesterday, only one rollaboard and a briefcase/purse. I saw many ladies sent away from the security line and towards the baggage check area. Most had same as me (rollaboard and computer case),plus a purse.
The security lines were not that bad ,but thebaggage counters were packed.
Someone on my flight said that later (after my security check) there was an announcement that they would allow an additional bag because "too many people didn't know about the new ruling".

Is there a difference for International and Domestic flights? And for First and Business Class passengers? Or will it be same across the board?

It definitely applies to all classes of service on all flights out of US airports. I'm not sure about flights to the US--the FAA hasn't certified a number of international flights to the US due to non-compliance with post-9/11 requirements, but there may be different issues involved. UA, incidentally, announced some hours prior to the FAA change that it was adopting a one carryon + personal item policy on all its flights.

Doesn't bother me at all. I always have travelled with one carryon and a briefcase anyway.

If it means I don't have to get banged in the head by some maroon who's trying to stuff two bags the size of Detroit into the overhead bin, I am all for it.

If the airlines would just ENFORCE their own
size requirements for carryons, space in the overheads wouldn't be such a problem. I rarely see an FA making pax put anything under the seat.

The airlines own rules until this week were two carry-on bags that fit within the sizer, and a purse of briefcase.

The point is the FAA just did away with those rules and they did it in the false name of security.

The screening process is flawed, slow and run by incompetent and/or untrained people.

Obviously, while the screening process is still private and run by the airlines, the only thing the FAA chose to address out of the three is that it's too slow.

WAKE UP FOLKS. This is serious stuff.

The European security screeners do a much better job of screening. I read in an Amsterdam newspaper that the screeners go through a background check. I am in Europe now. It took only 10 minutes to go through security for a AMS-NCE flight. Been to Europe 7 times, screening is more through.