Comments

Tom, I use to fly about twice a week. Many years ago I started to simply shut down my brain during take off and landing - knowing that inbetween we all are proving that gravity is a myth and man can fly. In that time I read the papers, drink my juice and never spend a second about thinking that 5 feet under my seat is an abyss of 33.000 feet. No matter what the weather conditions are, no matter if the pilot is a freshman and no matter if there are some folks who wants to bomb us into nirvana or jehennah. Outherwise you don't survive and go crazy.

Posted by Cem Basman at August 11, 2006 12:08 PM

Did I say "Tom", Erik? I apoligize for my blindness, Sir ...

Posted by Cem Basman at August 11, 2006 12:16 PM

you were right. it is tom. i merely posted the post for him since he didn't have his computer.

Posted by Erik Hansen at August 11, 2006 12:55 PM

I personally think these new rules are good.

The only reall complaint that I've heard from numerous individuals is, "I need my laptop/palm/blackberry to do work"... ...work???? or a game of Solitarand???

This said, there certainly will be a finacial cost to this ruling. No carry on luggage, means extra bagage handling, which means an extra costs for the airlines. Will they eat this cost or will they pass it along to the people sitting in the seats?

Posted by Michael Warner at August 11, 2006 1:15 PM

What did we do on planes before we had all our gadgets? I find flying is a great time to be a lot more contemplative and creative rather than slogging through more work. Of course I used to feel guilty just sitting there, especially if I was flying with a co-worker. Take advantaage of the mental down-time -- but get there early as it is taking more than the two hours it usually takes to get through even small airports.

Posted by Matthew Turner at August 11, 2006 1:24 PM

There's a recent, brilliant interview between Bill Moyers and Pema Chodron that touches on this very subject. She mentions how dificult it is to meditate in a 12 foot wide metal tube with everyone trying to do as much as they possibly can to avoid sitting there and being still/quiet for a while.

She also has a few jaw-dropping points to make on the current state of the world.

You can watch it, dowload the mp3s or read the transcript here:
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/portraits_chodron.html

Posted by Paul Davidson at August 11, 2006 4:21 PM

There's a recent, brilliant interview between Bill Moyers and Pema Chodron that touches on this very subject. She mentions how dificult it is to meditate in a 12 foot wide metal tube with everyone trying to do as much as they possibly can to avoid sitting there and being still/quiet for a while.

She also has a few jaw-dropping points to make on the current state of the world.

You can watch it, dowload the mp3s or read the transcript at pbs dot com.

Posted by Paul Davidson at August 11, 2006 4:23 PM

Maybe, just maybe, now people will check their bags and no more delays waiting for people to stow their max to the limit gear. And no more whacks with luggage as people walk by. Now I know the baggage handlers have to get much better, but you really see some jerky behavior from people tryng to bogart all the carry on space. So check it and deal with it!

Posted by Mike Neiss at August 11, 2006 6:23 PM

I just cannot believe some people are arguing about being forced to take things on a plane in a see through bag. Can anyone explain why it is such a problem? Some people complain for the sake of complaining. I am listening as I type this to a phone in radio programme here in England that suggests all the fuss yesterday was exaggerated for political gain by the UK Government and to cover up the more serious problems of the war in the Middle East. Seems to me the cynics get more attention than those who genuinely want to protect our security.

Posted by Trevor Gay at August 11, 2006 6:44 PM

I fly a couple times a month. I usually read. I hope they will let us take books.

Realistically, it only makes sense to restrict what people take on the plane. I suppose soon it will be nothing on the planes.

Posted by Steven Poor at August 11, 2006 8:05 PM

Sticky Houston Day
Pockets and hands empty, wait
Remove shoes: Get frisked.

(My first haiku related to the new travel rules...)

Posted by Steven Poor at August 11, 2006 8:14 PM

On my first trip to Tokyo from Vancouver, I was able to meditate for an extended time. I do not sleep well on airplanes, and I found meditating to be an even better alternative. I arrived focused, rested and in the present.

In a busy world, I relish the opportunity to have an extended time to "just be"!

Posted by Mike Ray at August 12, 2006 11:09 AM

Armageddon averted: the plans by airlines to allow mobile phone is thwarted. Thank goodness.

The air travel experience is one of the worst of any in which I deal. No excuses for any of it.

1. They have had years to deal with new security guidelines yet there are still terrific lines in most airports. More inspectors, more screening devices, more queues.

2. they have had carry-on guidelines in place for years but didn't enforce it allowing huge suitcases to be carried on board. That will obviously change now.

3. the seats: honestly, 17" wide isn't even shoulder width. Is 5 hours in a middle seat against the Geneva Convention? Check out this website...new to me.
http://seatguru.com/charts/domestic_economy.php

4. Somebody please smile and say hello. Please.

5. Love the pricing strategy. Completely opaque to the customer. Cottage industries have sprouted around getting the best price.

6. Too late for most airports, but the terminal-to-terminal "I have a connection" is almost too much. At Heathrow, it can take almost an hour, if you know where you are going.

Posted by Jeff at August 12, 2006 2:19 PM

Addressing Jeff's comment 4--no smiles. I live in Houston so I mostly fly on Southwest (lots of smiles), or Continental (some smiles), but sometimes Delta (no smiles by staff or customers). Jeff, try to find yourself an airline that makes money. I guess working on a sinking ship is not fun, and it shows.

Posted by Richard at August 12, 2006 5:11 PM

This is going to be an interesting one that's going to run and run, but it's been interesting to note some inconsistencies in the last few months and years.

Six months after 9/11 I was given an upgrade to business class on a European flight. Guess what was given out with my meal - stainless steel cutlery including a knife with a serrated edge.

A year on from that I was (after taking advice from the airport in the UK whilst I was in the terminal), allowed to take a pack of disposable razors onto the plane in my hand luggage (I wasn't allowed to on a business trip to Tenerife this year...)

On that last trip though, I put my bag through the scanner, empited my pockets and was patted down. I still set the main scanners off, but rather than check me further, I was allowed on board the plane after explaining that the shoes on my feet had a 3/4 steel shank in them - this expanation was accepted without any questions rather than being checked out.

News reports in the UK on Saturday revealed that airport duty free sales are down and that certain airlines are carrying more water rather than duty free goods for sale onboard the plane.

BBC radio reported last night that one airline is already complaining about the time it's taking to implement the new security restrictions at UK airports.

Is it not in the airline's own interests to put up and shut up for a while until the situation calms down a bit? I for one would rather have better airport security than worry about an airline's bottom line in these troubled times...

I'm off on holiday in three weeks time and like Tom I'm heading to Norway. By sea rather than air though, but if I see Bruce Willis wandering around on deck wearing a vest, then I'm heading for the lifeboar stations before anything happens! I guess that most TV stations won't be showing any of the Die Hard movies for a few months...

Cheers

Keith

Posted by Keith Rickaby at August 13, 2006 5:22 AM

Hopefully Keith the EU/UK are more serious now regarding SECURITY.

Especially with 20 known Islam-Fascism cells and 1200 radical terrorists in the UK alone. 90% of UK muslims POLLED hold allegiance to Islam 1st - bravo more SAFEGUARDS ...

Posted by sean at August 13, 2006 11:03 AM

Fight Terror, Ban Luggage.
http://www.douglaskarr.com/?p=181

Posted by Doug Karr at August 13, 2006 11:58 AM

What types of businsses could come out of this situation? thinking outside the box: Hotels where which have a personal mail drop set up for you to send your belongings ahead of your trip and they foot the bill. Packages given by the airlines which contain your personal selection of grooming items etc. Cheap grooming kits sold by the stores right outside the airline destination points. Rent a suit and clothing stores at your destination hotel.

Posted by sandra at August 13, 2006 12:10 PM

Thanks Doug - insightful reasoning - AND travel radically LIGHT and ECOLOGICally atuned to maximize all things SECURITY - minimalist adventure at its best.

PLUS TO PLAY ON SANDRA'S theme - alert authorities to suspicious Terroresque activity - then COLLECT a hugh REWARD for learned efforts. And you know me - hopefully someday we have PAY per View TV of convicted terrorists' executions with proceeds going mainly to FAMILY of loved ones lost in WWIII.

Posted by sean at August 13, 2006 4:31 PM

Tom

Planes and trains are no longer secure - no matter what the officials do to foil the attempts of people intent on injurying others to raise the profile of their "ideas, idelogy, etc". Once on the plane or train we might like to consider the "security" problems that we contribute to in our modern organisations. Many of your readers work in an organisation that is overly secured. Information that could be declassified and would therefore speed through the various check-in or check-out points are being scrutinized simply because the authors like to feel important and so they try to "raise the profile of their ideas, ideology, etc". They tend to do this by putting an unnecessary tag on their idea - eg "in confidence" "confidential" "urgent" "classified". I believe 90% or more of the information flowing around an organisation could be declassified (each of us could start the movement to declassify ideas and information by leaving off the "urgent", "confidential", etc. tags) now there is an IDEA we could all usefully contemplate on our various journeys....

Richard Lipscombe

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at August 14, 2006 3:36 AM

At first, I was a little put off by the new restrictions. But then, after a few moments I realized that even when I bring my laptop, PSP, and iPod on a plane, I never end up using those things anyway. I just end up reading books/magazines, sleeping, or watching the in-flight movie. I think people will get over this inconvenience pretty soon (except for maybe the hard-core business fliers).

Posted by TheBizofKnowledge at August 14, 2006 6:24 AM

I don't care about using my laptop while flying, I just don't want some disgruntled ham-handed baggage handler seeing how far he can wing my $1300 computer across the airport.

They better move the duty free shops outside so I can check the "liquids" I regularly buy therein. Sometimes they will transport them to planeside for you, but if you can't take them on--ouch! (Hint--onboard duty free prices are higher than on the ground and availability is rather limited).

Posted by Mike at August 14, 2006 6:54 AM

Confusion now reigns. The Brit Govnt have said you can take handbaggage on the plane, BAA (who operate the airports) have said, well, maybe, but not until tomorrow!

Meanwhile, the ban has hit in some interesting ways with various musicians finding they need to travel overland.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4784225.stm

Mind you, given the hassle of flying sometimes a nice trip on a train can be more enjoyable if you have the time to spare and want to chill a bit. Some guy's already come with ways of getting around Europe more easily by train.
http://www.seat61.com

Of course the terrorists have already won a partial victory with the disruption, so chalk this one up to a draw.

Posted by Ross Hall at August 14, 2006 7:29 AM

For those of us in the US (or any larger country) we still have to consider the fly/drive equation for longer trips. But traveling domestically in just about any European country? I'd drive. Wouldn't even think about it anymore.

Here in US, security + now mandatory wait at luggage carousels adds 2.5-3 hours to flight time. And to sit thirsty and cramped for that time? No thanks. And now checking cellphones and having to wait 30-45 minutes once I'm at my destination to get it back? Gotta be a better way.

Under these guidelines it's doubtful I'll ever fly to ANZ/Asia again. It's not fun under the best of circumstances.

Best suggestion I can think of is private charters. Seems there would be an argument for some significant price elasticity in return for traveler comfort.

Tom/Erik - in order to write haiku you're assuming they're letting you bring on writing implements and paper.

Posted by Rich at August 14, 2006 8:21 AM

Maybe this will force us frequent flyers to ask if that trip really, really is necesary. Are you really, really sure it couldn't be done by a video-conference? Or some of the newer web systems for giving presentations? Sure, I know there's times when you want to be (and should be) there in person but maybe this will force us to re-appraise if there's another way of doing business without getting up at 4am, incurring the costs etc etc.

Posted by Mark JF at August 14, 2006 10:03 AM

http://www.eclipseaviation.com/

New Mini Jets at less than $1.5M are a prime option - have 1 on order [with 4 other business associates] - may be of interest - safety / SECURITY 1st.

Posted by sean at August 14, 2006 11:47 AM

Of course, we could always use the time to figure just why the whole scene is so ****ed-up - and how we're allowing ourselves to be duped by politics of fear in which the fact is far more absurd than any fiction...

Hell, we could even decide to do something constructive about it by utilising whatever 'power' we as citizens possess and develop decent politicians who genuinely respect 'By the People, For the People' - rather than the incumbent lackluster idiots whom we now serve.

And, gosh, maybe we could reflect on Bobby Kennedy's wisdom:
"The [next] priority for change - the first element of a new politics for the United States - is in our policy toward the world. Too much and for too long, we have acted as if our great military might and wealth could bring about an American solution to every world problem..."

Are we not stopping to question the crap being done in 'our' name?

Nah, too radical - so instead let's just bitch'n'moan on the web.

Posted by gulliver at August 14, 2006 12:17 PM

I took Virgin Atlantic from SFO to London a couple of times (most recently in Fall 2004), and on the plane they gave us a nifty little Ziploc bag with lip gloss, toothbrush/toothpaste, tissues, etc. I still use the key ring that was attached to the bag (with a Virgin Atlantic logo), so they're getting some free advertising out of it too. (And, in my experience, they're second only to Southwest in smiles.)

Posted by Paula at August 14, 2006 1:02 PM

gulliver, Nope, no one is questioning anything. They want to feel "safe." Me, I want to feel "safe" from the paternalistic society the U.S. has become.

Posted by GraceAnn at August 14, 2006 2:55 PM

Mark,

You'd drive? What's wrong with the train! Nipping across the border is still pretty easy, but driving from Poland to Italy isn't!

(And don't even get started on trying to move from London to mainland Europe!)

The guys on the UK motoring shows (Top Gear, Fifth Gear) regularly use pan-EU drives as testing grounds for their motors, always with at least one overnight (unless you're Jeremy Clarkson, in which case driving from London to Norway in 24 hours in a Mercedes at full whack becomes a badge of honour!)

If you want to arrive at your meetings nice and rested use the train or the plane. If you like turning up with a bad back, a couple of fuel tanks worth of cash lighter and seriously stressed then use the motor!!!

Ross

Posted by Ross Hall at August 14, 2006 3:06 PM

Your Japanese CEO would be out of luck. A colleague flew BA First Class SFO to London yesterday. It's been well-reported that you can't even take a book. But he was informed that he couldn't even take a pad of paper on which to write.

where to buy viagra in canada

I guess you could use a napkin.

Posted by Lance Knobel at August 14, 2006 5:17 PM

Of course I want personal safety; but everytime we walk out the door your life is in your hands. Because I've been raised in the land of the free, I still find it disconcerting to strip and have my things checked. I fear just how much of our personal freedoms will be lost; and at what cost; because quite frankly if someone wants to do something tragic they'll find away. We just have to be careful not to scream out for a solution which neither really solves the problem and causes more of our personal freedom to be stripped away.

Posted by sandra at August 14, 2006 9:29 PM

Here is a report on domestic travel using small airports.

I flew today on Southwest from Houston (Hobby Airport) to New Orleans, with the ban on liquids in effect. Last Monday, before the ban, I flew on Southwest to Dallas (Love Field). I checked baggage both times due to the ban on tools in carry-on bags.

Today, with the liquids ban, there were almost no suitcase-size bags brought on board. The bins were almost empty. This meant we loaded and unloaded the passengers more quickly. There were more people at the baggage carousel, but I did not sense a delay in the arrival of my bags.

The baggage drop off and security process took no longer today. It may have even been quicker--probably having more to do with hitting or missing the Monday morning rush.

For me the net result of the changes are close to nothing.

I do have a suggestion for a WOW experience from an airline. I would like to have my bags not thrown. I can't think of any other service business that treats my property so poorly as a standard practice. I get a disgusted feeling, not a WOW feeling, every time I look out the window and watch thousands of dollars worth of luggage being abused.

Posted by Richard at August 14, 2006 11:49 PM

Credit to GraceAnn and Sandra for 'getting it' - I'd expected the usual wave of 'clone patriotism' visited upon those who criticise the ruling elite.

viagra cheapest online My point here is simple... as supposedly above-average intellect folk (and certainly not the average Joe Sixpacks who're real easy to tame) the typical reader here should be above the usual hoodwinkery and hopefully inclined toward a solution rather than serving the problem.

best prices for australia viagra online 'As before, so again' just as with the so-called 'unprovoked' Pearl Harbor attack, (for which now-released US Government documents and sworn testimony before Congress reveal clearly that, needing such a cataclysm in the face of overwhelming popular opposition to American entry in the war, Roosevelt & Co goaded the Japanese into making an initial attack - of which they knew in advance and, in remaining quiet, thus created the needed catastrophe which within a day so-transformed the populace that a reported one million plus immediately enlisted)... what takers for a 2001 repeat followed by a drip campaign of deliberate dis-easing of ordinary people in which this carry-on nonsense is just the latest element? And, what's planned for the firth anniversary? (I'm speaking of 'Made in America' Washington output rather than that from some eastern outpost.)

At least 60+ years back there was genuine reason for - and real benefits therefrom - US intervention. Nowadays, no such deal... and the bad guys wear lounge suits and speak with a soft southern drawl... their steely hands reaching around to 'tax due' remove wallets from our back pockets to fund our babies being sent home in a box for a flag-drapped reinforcement of 'the evil that we face and combat'.

And for what? So America can secure cheap energy... just look at the geographical jigsaw being assembled 'over there' and how, through simple disinformation, wars that would normally never have gotten approval are back-slapped and pushed out the door.

Folks, we have a right and obligation to question and counter this crap.

-------
"The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants.
He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole.
Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile.
To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.
Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else."
-------

Same goes for the string puppets in the UK.

So then... are and will we? Or will we simply banter about 'inconvenience and the TQM aspect of airline procedure'?

Life is supposed to be a WOW! experience. Instead we settled on woe. Pity.

Posted by gulliver at August 15, 2006 1:11 AM

buy cheap viagra online uk

Tom

Interesting blog.... I believe Americans do not get it period.. First, your country voted Bush into the White House and he went to war in the early 1990s then you voted Bush junior into the same office (twice).. Second, since the end of WWII America's ideas and idealogies have been challenged by regimes that look at the USA and clearly do not see "the virtues" that you all talk about in this blog... Third, my earlier point in this blog about security was a feeble attempt to try and stop you all merely complaining about the situation - it clearly does not help anyone.... Finally, I recommend everyone who has blogged on this point go to work tomorrow and try to "model" a more open and transparent way of being in the world - one that is less about "yourself" and more about the others around you - one that is less about your own "security and well-being" and more about the well-being of the less fortunate in the world today (Lord knows there are many many millions of your fellow country folk - US, UK, Asian, etc - who are surely less well off than you.... Perhaps you owe a "duty of care" to them to find compassion, not anger, in the current situation..... Go to work tomorrow and see if you can make a difference (leave your ego behind and do not demand the attention that you are seeking on this blog )- be less about yourself and more about others.... Yeah I know, Tom, I just do not get it!!!

Richard Lipscombe.

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at August 15, 2006 3:29 AM

Hilarious as usual gulliver - especially the Kennedy [crime family extraordinaire] quote. New England politicians operate "best" with their usual .2% blood alcohol content.

Richard - you are right, apparently you do not get it. USA citizens are the most giving in history ... walking around only with a giving vibe doesn't make it ... because meanwhile Islam-Fascism craves making dust of Lipscombe/gulliver family - that is WWIII challenge, get it?

Posted by sean at August 15, 2006 8:26 AM

Don't waste your breath, Sean. Lots of people don't get it, especially Europeans and historical revisionists.

Posted by Mike at August 15, 2006 8:40 AM

Odd world we live in. For the last few years it has seemed that the most likely way for somebody to hijack a plane would be by carrying tweezers in a vanity case. Now we're going to blow the things up with a bottle of cola.

buy viagra in australia with paypal

I will cope with whatever inconveniences "they" invent to show that "they" are doing something to protect us.

I just have this gut feeling that if somebody wants to blow up a plane, a way will be found to do it. How many of the workers who supply the meals to airlines at Heathrow are Muslim? How easy would it be for a baggage handler to slip something naughty in to the hold?

Shame my wife spend £60 on bags for hand luggage last month!

Posted by Dave at August 15, 2006 10:04 AM

Sean, When you say "Islam-Fascim" what exactly do you mean? Do you mean all Islam is fascist? Are you refering to a particular faction of Islam?

Posted by GraceAnn at August 15, 2006 10:33 AM

Cathy or Erik, time for a new post. In the seeming absence of anything else to talk about, this post has moved from evoking constructive thought toward provoking back-biting discussion of political philosophy. Move us on.

Posted by Ed Di Gangi at August 15, 2006 11:37 AM

Really have to ask GraceAnne about fascism? Far too much of Islam resorts to fascist terrorist murders, plotting, conniving, crime.

Even "progressive" Islam states happy to enslave non-royalty / females to 2nd class roles/expectations/education - whereas USA as maternalistic free enterprise society of 1000% consumption decisons made by women = record debt & obesity - thanks so much for the shop 'til you drop meditation/medication ... :>}

Posted by sean at August 15, 2006 12:34 PM

Why don't we ban luggage from flights and really make it easy?

http://www.douglaskarr.com/2006/08/10/time-to-ban-luggage/

Doug

Posted by Doug Karr at August 16, 2006 10:17 AM

You said that already 3 days ago Doug. What's with the spamming? You own stock in Luggage Forward or something? ;-)

But seriously - Luggage Forward takes $1200 for my luggage to go from Denmark to the USA. That's the same as my ordinary fare, which - incidentally - includes payment for luggage transportation.

That is NOT a 'solution'. That is a 'rip-off'.

Using a conventional postal/freight service will cost me only 20% of that price.

Nope sorry ... it's not a solution.

Besides - being free of luggage does not constitute free of 'danger'.

We're talking about liquids to the size of a box of matches. Anybody want to taste the contents of an Ostomy bag? Anybody? Thought so.

Posted by Lars Olufsen at August 17, 2006 6:52 AM

Lars, So do you think that air travelers just have to accept a certain amount of "insecurity"? I do.

Posted by GraceAnn at August 17, 2006 9:38 AM

Write haiku, what an excellent idea. How long until pens and pencils are banned? I can see the SNL skit now--a plane full of naked passengers.

Posted by Troy Worman at August 18, 2006 7:33 AM

I think people should stop talking about danger incessantly, and instead write haikus.

This one is for Troy.

Plane rolls past cactus
shiver: cold seat belt sears flesh
Peewee on left stares

Posted by Steven Poor at August 19, 2006 7:23 AM

Thanks Ed Di Gangi. It all starts sounding like a bar-room discussion - argument - brawl - call an ambulance.

The "don't fly" thing appeals to me, not least because subsidised-fuel flights are a big part of our global-warming problem. (That should make it clear I'm one of these suspect "Europeans" we hear so much of these days.] For all but a few, a future business model based on jumping on a plane to the other side of the world at a moment's notice is just unsustainable. So what do we have to get good at instead? How do we make impersonal communications technology personal? How do we replace/rethink being there, the face-to-face?

Posted by Rob at August 21, 2006 1:45 AM