From NWA.com, updated this morning, for those caught in security and delayed today (and waivers for the future):

London Travel Waiver
Updated 8/10/06 - 11:40 a.m. CT

Northwest Airlines has issued a travel waiver in response to a terrorist threat to international airport aviation security.

For passengers ticketed to travel on August 10, 2006 who miss a flight due to security delays: You may be rebooked without normally applicable change fees or additional collections to the next available flight today on a cabin-to-cabin basis. Changes to origins or destinations are not permitted; however, changes in connecting points are permitted.

For passengers ticketed to travel to, from or through the United Kingdom between August 10, 2006 and August 20, 2006: You may rebook through Saturday, August 12 on a cabin-to-cabin basis or through Tuesday, October 31 on a booking class-to-booking class basis.

Unaccompanied Minors and pets in the hold (AVIH): All connecting unaccompanied minors and pets traveling in the hold will be embargoed from 9:00 a.m. Central time through midnight Thursday, August 10, 2006. Unaccompanied minors and pets traveling in the hold who are ticketed on nonstop flights will still be accommodated.

Self-service rebooking is available. E-Ticket customers are encouraged to reschedule their trip under these waiver guidelines using nwa.com's View/Change Reservation services. For assistance with Award Travel Reservations or paper tickets, please contact Northwest Airlines at 1-800-225-2525.

All passengers should check flight and gate status prior to leaving for the airport.

Wow! That's tough security, putting UM's in the hold!! - - Sorry! I just had to add that!!! - I know this is a serious issue!!

My concern is contact lens stuff. I wear daily throw-away lenses - so I carry a lot of them - and each lens is in it's own little thumb size plastic/foil pak with liquid inside!! I haven't heard a thing about these yet!! I can't imagine checking my contact lenses!! Technically they are a prescription by a doctor - but they don't have the usual pharmacy style label on the package with the patient's name on them. I'm sure that they didn't have time to think about EVERY possible situation when they put the new security measures together and I hope to hear something about contact lenses as I'm sure many other people are waiting to hear.

Don't you love over-reacting. Safety is the perfect excuse for taking away our civil liberties. This way our governments can look like they're doing something without even having to think about the problem. I can't wait until we all have to strip naked and get a colonoscopy before every flight.

I think I've managed to extract everything from my carry-ons that has any liquid in it--even the extra ink cartridges to fill my fountain pens. It will all stay in my desk at work. I'm wondering, though, whether I'll be able to carry my pens through the checkpoint, since they do contain liquid ink.

Has anyone been through MSP/heard any specifics about the situation at MSP this afternoon? I've already planned to give myself an extra hour, just wondering if I need to add any more time for a domestic flight (MSP-BNA, at 7:00p).

What is your life worth?

I for one will gladly give up bringing anything on the plane and sit there and count the hairs on the persons head that is seated in front of me. If that allows me to live and not be blown up in mid air.

Actually, I agree.

And I will give up leaving my house in the morning or speaking on the phone or using the microwave or turning on the television or taking a shower if it allows me to live and not die.

You don't think that this is overreacting? Especially if this is a temporary solution, it won't do anything but tell us that everyone is panicking. Would you be willing to be X-rayed, scoped or have to get an MRI every time you have to fly, because some potential terrorist were found with explosives in their intestines?

The large burden this will put on travellers is part of what terrorists want, to disrput our daily lives.

As they say in the movies..."on a long enough timeline, everyone's survival rate reaches zero". Pardon me, but I'd like to actually live my life. I'm 35...I'm not going to spend the next 50 years worrying about contact lense solution and toothpaste. That's not living.

I understand the point you are making, but over reacting to a situation can cause a lot of panic. TSA needs to put good permenate mesaures in place to avoid these situations from happening.

We continue to use the global approach to stop everyone including my 94 year old grandmother from bringing on what she needs like water on a regular basis. As children we always complained when the whole class got punished from the acts of a few, why do we accept this now. Screen and stop who needs to be screen, get the Registered Traveler thing working so those of us that travel weekly can not stop at Walgreens when we land to get deodorant and toothpaste, and let's do profiling at the airport. I realize this is sacrosanct to our nation, but we are loosing more freedom not being able to carryon chapstick. No I am not some rightwing nut case and am in fact middle of the road, but we need to admit that a 94 year old woman who needs regular water is not going to take a plane down. Put the effort where it is needed not globally apply it to all of us.

I was being tongue and cheeks with what I would do (Unless it was a bald person). I just simply mean I would deal with whatever they say I have to, to fly in a safe enviorment. If I don't think it is worth it, I will drive, take a train, take a boat, etc... I know this is not realistic for everyone but this is what I am willing to do for the priviledge of flying since 2001.

We all have choices.

Posted on CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/08/10/us.security/index.html

A senior congressional source said it's believed the plotters planned to mix a "British version of Gatorade" with a gel-like substance to make an explosive that they would possibly trigger with an MP3 player or cell phone.

That explains the water, hair gel, and iPod thing.

Steve B.

Let's just all pray to whatever God we choose that the TSA/Homeland Security folks never get ahold of any re-runs of MacGyver. We'll all be stripped naked and thrown into straitjackets for the flight if that ever happens.

Not a problem as long as they also give us enough tranqs to keep us down for the duration of the flight. Think of the money the airlines could make/save.... stack 12 cots where 6 seats and overhead bins used to be, no need for FAs, etc. The folks in Eagen are probably drooling at the possibilities.

Not in the US as of right now. From tsa.gov:

Media reports indicated that passengers may be forced to sample infant formula or milk before being permitted to fly. Is that true?

No. TSA will not ask passengers to sample fluids or beverages during the screening process. This process is being required at foreign airports and is not required at any domestic U.S. airport. Infant formula must be submitted for inspection to a TSA security officer by passengers traveling with a baby.

Media have also reported that laptops, cell phones and electronic items are no longer allowed. Is that true.

No. TSA continues to allow laptop computers, cell phones and other electronic items.

Of course, that may change in the time it takes me to hit the "send" key. I have several long-hauls coming up (including one to Israel) and would hate if my Bose noise-cancelling headsets were banned.