I suspect that those campaign contributions came from Samsonite. This law will result in millions of new bags being sold to fit the TSA requirements.

I'm sure that's the theory, brought to us by the same people who said "if everyone takes their shoes off it'll be faster than deciding which shoes come off" and "if everyone puts their liquids in a baggie, it will speed things up." :rolleyes:

It doesn't work in those cases, and it won't work here, and for exactly the same reason. There are exceptions to removing shoes; there are exceptions to the liquids rule; and there are exceptions to the one bag rule. (Not that the exceptions are wrong: goalie shouldn't have to take off his shoes*, Mr Gel-packs should be allowed his gel-packs**, and there are valid exceptions to the one-bag-this-size rule.) But the checkpoint will be choked with people arguing the exceptions. As with shoes, as with liquids, as with IDs, passengers and TSA screeners will have different views on what the exceptions are. And when the TSA guy doesn't know the rules, the default answer, as with IDs, will be "that's not allowed."

My blood ran cold when I looked at the bill and saw that the dimensions were in centimetres rounded to inches! After the problems TSA has had with 100 mL/3 oz/3.4 oz and the density of toothpaste, using metric dimensions is just asking for trouble. One of our resident TSA folks has admitted "I never was good at metric conversions."

That's my practical objection to this proposal.

+1 That's my principled objection to this proposal.

* No one should have to take off his or her shoes.
** Everyone should be allowed to bring gel-packs.

Actually, I don't mind this nearly so much. Before the rule, even with my guaranteed "TSA-safe" shoes, my shoes would set off the WTMD about half the time. It all depended on which airport I was going through, and how sensitive their metal detector was. (Some were so sensitive that it would trigger on the metal eyelets on my sneakers.) So, every time I approached a checkpoint, I'd have to guess as to whether or not this particular machine would reject my shoes --- and deal with the contradictory advice I got from TSOs day-to-day. ("You might want to consider taking off your shoes" ... "You don't have to take off your shoes" ...)

At least with the "all-shoes-off" rule, my life is simpler, as I don't have to make that choice. (Of course, I'm also in a stage in life where I'm easily able to take off my shoes. This isn't a justification for the rule itself.)

I've never heard the Kippie rule explained as a means to speed up screening; rather, the usual line is about limiting the total amount of LGA coming aboard in order to thwart The Bad Guys who want to bring explosives on-board.

But we're drifting from the topic at hand. As we agree ... having TSA enforce the "one-plus" rule is marginally related, at best, to securing the nations transportation systems.

This isn’t the first time the Association of Flight Attendants has engaged in stupidity. Four years ago they were jumping up and down with their hair on fire at the thought of scissors and small tools being allowed back in carry ons.

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