NYT/AP: U.S. to Relax Air Travel Restrictions on Liquids and Gels

[DeepModem Mom]

U.S. to Relax Air Travel Restrictions
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: September 25, 2006

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government is partially lifting its ban against carrying liquids and gels onto airliners, instituted after a plot to bomb jets flying into the United States was foiled, an administration official said Monday.

A Homeland Security Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made, said that most liquids and gels that air travelers purchase in secure areas of airports will now be allowed on planes.

That means that after passengers go through airport security checkpoints, they can purchase liquids at airport stores and take them onto their planes, said the official. Announcement of the new rules was being made at an 11 a.m. EDT news conference at Reagan National Airport. The Transportation Security Administration said only that it planned to announce ''refinements to security measures.''

The tougher airport screening procedures were put in place in August after British police broke up a terrorist plot to assemble and detonate bombs using liquid explosives on airliners crossing the Atlantic Ocean from Britain to the U.S....

***

New procedures also were being announced for products like lip gloss and hand lotion that passengers bring to the airport. Previously, those liquids have been confiscated at security checkpoints. Now, the official said, those products will be put in clear plastic bags at the checkpoint, screened and returned to the passenger if they pass screening....

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Air-Travel-Security.html

[leveymg]

1. Yes, but passengers still must leave their bodily fluids at the checkpoint

[gratuitous]

2. Ohmygodwereallgonnadie!

Why isn't the Department of Homeland Security getting serious about protecting the American people? Next thing you know, they'll be letting terrorists on the planes with Mentos and Cokes and planes will be falling out of the sky left and right.

Wait; is this the week we're supposed to be piss-your-pants scared, or the week we're supposed to be brave Americans, bravely standing up for the land of the brave in the face of international islamofascism and unrestrained liberalism?

[Gormy Cuss]

3. Link to TSA new rules

As long as your liquid and gel toiletries are travel size (3 oz or less) and are packed in a single one quart plastic ziplock bag they may go onboard in your carryon. You will be required to remove the bag and put it in a bin for screening.

Large size quantities purchased beyond the security gate, as well as bottled water, cups of coffee, etc, will be allowed on board.

http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/9-25_updated_passenger_guidance.shtm

[okoboji]

4. wow.....

gave the airport vendors time to come up with new pricing for bottled water and coffee.....

lets see:

(1) 12 oz Poland Spring water = $6.98
(1) 16 oz black coffee Star Bucks = $7.50

[aquart]

5. So now terrorism is a profit center?

Where people can pay 200-300 percent more for items than if the same were bought at home?

And how intelligent to centralize these items where they can uniformly be tampered with by underpaid and undertrained personnel. Wow. I feel secure now.

ADMIT IT! The ban was crap and now it's profit-making crap.

WHO GETS THE TOILETRIES CONTRACT?

[mcscajun]

6. Great! Now I can fly again. NO WAY was I flying with inadequate

water available.

Recommendations are to drink 8 oz. of water per hour, and no flight attendant can handle those kind of passenger demands. :)

So, I'll have to budget for the inflated prices at the airport. Well, You can't have Everything.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. How much do you wanna bet...

that this has nothing to do with any reduction of any terrorist threat and everything to do with the airport concessionaires complaining about reduced sales?

Well, at least I'm glad I'll be able to take a bottle of water on my trip to Japan in November. That's one long flight.