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Travel Savvy: What new security measures will mean for travellers

Alleged terrorists planned to use liquid explosives concealed as sports drink bottles and common electronic devices to bring down as many as 10 planes in a nearly simultaneous strike. What impact will this have on YOUR late summer and fall travel plans?
 
A screen at Gatwick Airport displays a list of cancelled flights on Thursday. 
by Anne Garber

Okay, we've all seen the coverage, we've all been glued -- once again -- to CNN and Newsworld. The constabulary got (most of) the bad guys, and suddenly the airlines are once again holding the bag.

But -- selfishly -- what of the air travel plans YOU are about to undertake? It sounds as though people travelling today were not even permitted to take sunglasses onboard, much less the requisite bottle of water or a container of sinus spray.

Certainly, saner heads will prevail in a few days, but what kind of restrictions are we likely to see that become more-or-less permanent now?

Here's what was restricted in the U.K. today:
A line-up at the Salt Lake City airport stretches for miles -- and hours. 
The British Department of Transport posted restrictions on carry-on luggage on all flights leaving any U.K. airports saying:

"With immediate effect, the following arrangements apply to all passengers starting their journey at a U.K. airport and to those transferring between flights at a U.K. airport.

"All cabin baggage must be processed as hold baggage and carried in the hold of passenger aircraft departing U.K. airports.

"Passengers may take through the airport security search point, in a single (ideally transparent) plastic carrier bag, only the following items.

Nothing may be carried in pockets:
pocket-size wallets and pocket-size purses plus contents (for example money, credit cards, identity cards etc (not handbags);
travel documents essential for the journey (for example passports and travel tickets);
prescription medicines and medical items sufficient and essential for the flight (eg diabetic kit), except in liquid form unless verified as authentic.
spectacles and sunglasses, without cases.  
Restrictions on liquids of any kind are posted at the security checkpoint at the British Airways terminal of JFK Airport on Thursday. 
contact lens holders, without bottles of solution.
for those travelling with an infant: baby food, milk (the contents of each bottle must be tasted by the accompanying passenger) and sanitary items sufficient and essential for the flight (nappies, wipes, creams and nappy disposal bags).
female sanitary items sufficient and essential for the flight, if unboxed (eg tampons, pads, towels and wipes).
tissues (unboxed) and/or handkerchiefs
keys (but no electrical key fobs)
All passengers must be hand-searched, and their footwear and all the items they are carrying must be X-ray screened.

So this basically means no carry-on laptops, iPods, cell phones, drinking water, sealed, pressurized Evian to counteract onboard dryness, no neck pillows, no tubs of yogurt for a snack, hand-lotion, Curel hand-cleaning liquid, saline solution for dry eyes, throat-spray or any of the other items we have come to think of essential for air travel comfort.
 
Bottles and tubes of any kind of liquid or gel are collected in bins at airport security. 
These days, we hardly get any "normal" amenities on today's airplanes anyway, so how will this affect future air travel? I imagine we won't be permitted to bring along made-at-home sandwiches and "bag lunches," and that the irresponsible airlines will gouge passengers even more than they do now for bottled water, soft drinks and packaged "snacks."

Here's an excerpt from the official "Homeland Security" statement from the US: "Due to the nature of the threat revealed by this investigation, we are prohibiting any liquids, including beverages, hair gels, and lotions from being carried on the airplane. This determination will be constantly evaluated and updated when circumstances warrant. These changes will take effect at 4:00 a.m. local time across the country. Travellers should also anticipate additional security measures within the airport and at screening checkpoints."

My suggestion is that if we travellers have to stop carrying our laptops (for example) onto the aircraft, that we be permitted another item of checked luggage, gratis. Failing that, I will be inclined to book by rail or drive instead of flying, whenever possible. The airlines have to appreciate (as many newspapers have failed to appreciate) that their customers must continue to be their priority. Yes, we want to fly safely, but we don't want to feel like we are boarding a crowded bus when we fly internationally, either. Take the hit, big guys. Go big or go home.

By Madelyn Miller

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