# New airline restrictions, oy. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 27, 2009, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683 "2009-12-27T06:34:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/61 "2009-12-28T02:01:31Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Dunno, how long would it take YOU to go through [400,000 names](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/31/AR2009103102141.html) to make sure the several hundred on EACH plane aren’t on it? Every day? Day after day? When the list keeps getting bigger and bigger? Are you absolutely SURE about those two guys on the same plane who have the same name and that name also appears on the watch list aren’t the guy on the list but just two coincidentally named people? Or maybe one of them is the terriss, but OMG WHICH ONE??? > > There are times when too much info is worse than not enough, and I’d say this is a textbook case of that. :rolleyes: I can’t say me personally but Google does it with a data set roughly a billion times larger in an average of .2 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/62 "2009-12-28T02:09:52Z")
> [@Just\_Some\_Guy](#): > > I can’t say me personally but Google does it with a data set roughly a billion times larger in an average of .2 seconds. Yeah, already addressed that upthread–sometimes it’s a good idea to read the whole thing to make sure you aren’t the last guy who gets to the party with the dip but all the chips are gone. That 'ere’s a mettyfor, in case you’re not sure. ---
**Author:** ![mecaenas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/91b2a8/32.png) [@mecaenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mecaenas)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/63 "2009-12-28T02:40:06Z")
I would have thought that if you’re relying on extreme security measures at the airport gate and “passengers must imitate mannequins” on the planes to prevent terrorist attacks, then there has been a catastrophic failure of the intelligence & security apparatus. But that’s just a layman’s perspective. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/64 "2009-12-28T03:25:16Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Yeah, already addressed that upthread–sometimes it’s a good idea to read the whole thing to make sure you aren’t the last guy who gets to the party with the dip but all the chips are gone. That 'ere’s a mettyfor, in case you’re not sure. From what I understand airlines have to submit their manifest before the plane takes off to US officials. It should be an easy check to see if the guy’s name is on a list. As to spelling, just click on edit or reply and right click on your use of the word ‘mettyfor’, it will give you suggestions as to the correct spellings and has the actual correct spelling of metaphor. So, having a database do a search of all the permutations shouldn’t be a tough thing to do and spit out at least a result that gives the screeners a heads up to take someone aside for the rubber glove treatment. That being said I have no idea why a bomber would travel under his own name anyways. There are parts of the world where passports come cheap from official sources. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/65 "2009-12-28T03:52:21Z")
Good Lord, at home I’d be arrested, but there’s a part of me that looks forward to a pantsing when trying to board an airplane. The rest of me is embarrassed by him. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/66 "2009-12-28T03:58:49Z")
I think we as a society should probably just accept that shit happens sometimes and not be so anal. I mean - yeah, take some measures to improve security, but you can’t live your life in a bubble. The idea that we must respond to every single incident with some sort of law or policy change (and this doesn’t just apply to terrorism, all the retards who see “a kid accidentally killed himself in a freak accident with X” and say “OMG WE MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT X! BAN IT!”. Sometimes shit happens, not everything needs to be reacted to, especially when the cure is worse on average than the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/67 "2009-12-28T05:36:24Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > You clearly are operating under the false assumption that the airline industry looks at declining numbers and sees an opportunity to expand services. Did I say that? I said when they start getting hit in the pocketbook by declining passenger counts, they will apply whatever pressure is necessary to stop the idiocy being perpetrated by the TSA. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/68 "2009-12-28T05:54:40Z")
Just saw on the news a Trans-Atlantic flight kept all the in flight entertainment off during the whole flight. I’m going to be pissed off if the next flight I take does this!:mad: ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/69 "2009-12-28T05:58:56Z")
Haven’t the airlines already been taking financial hits? My future plan for flying - strong sleeping pill the second my ass hits the seat. Screw all this dehumanizing bullshit. (And at this point, we take all our vacations by car. So much more relaxing and pleasant.) ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/70 "2009-12-28T07:25:01Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Haven’t the airlines already been taking financial hits? > > My future plan for flying - strong sleeping pill the second my ass hits the seat Don’t forget the catheter, available for a small fee from your flight attendant! ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/71 "2009-12-28T14:21:12Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > That’s all I’m asking for … even if it appears to be a little mean to the millions of good Muslims. Do you really want to do that to law-abiding Muslims, for a little temporary (perceived) security? Look at the policies of a large number of police agencies a few decades ago. Driving While Black was a common, unstated (or sometimes outright stated) cause to pull over a vehicle and harass or arrest the occupant, and these policies created an entire generation of otherwise law-abiding blacks who view the police as their enemies. Do we really want to repeat that mistake with Muslims, and make even more scofflaws out of another group, just because of one large, successful terrorist attack, and a bunch of incompetent douchenozzle copycats following them? It will take decades to fix the damage that Driving While Black produced. Making a similar Flying While Muslim (or, to be more precise, flying while appearing to be of Arab descent) is a huge error, one which will further undermine public trust in peace officers. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/72 "2009-12-28T14:35:38Z")
I’m actually planning on contacting my congresspeople about this issue. Don’t know how much good it will do, but I feel it will at least be more effective than my just not flying, when I really only fly a couple times per year anyway, if that. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/73 "2009-12-28T14:39:24Z")
> [@eenerms](#): > > Just saw on the news a Trans-Atlantic flight kept all the in flight entertainment off during the whole flight. I’m going to be pissed off if the next flight I take does this!:mad: Yeah, saw something along those lines a couple of days ago, maybe on BoingBoing. Specific mention was made that all the in-flight stuff got turned off in order to switch off the real time flight information. Gizmodo have the new security rules posted [here:](http://gizmodo.com/5435188/leaked-homeland-securitys-post-underwear-bomb-airplane-rules) > [@](#): > > 1. Disable aircraft-integrated passenger communications systems and services (phone, internet access services, live television programming, global positioning systems) prior to boarding and during all phases of flight. > 2. While over U.S. airspace, flight crew may not make any announcement to passengers concerning flight path or position over cities or landmarks. Cat Whisperer’s sleeping pill idea sounds about right. Some Depends would be useful as well. Orange overalls and a blindfold optional. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/74 "2009-12-28T15:09:52Z")
> [@Scruff](#): > > Ah fer fucks sake. We are protecting ourselves against attacks that failed, that would never have worked in 50 years. Richard Reid trying to detonate his shoe, this Nigerien trying to fry his gonads, the “binary chemical bomb” team… > > This is just security theater, designed to placate the scared idiots in America who believe that wily muslim terrorists are everywhere, and will magically appear to kill them and theirs unless we are ever vigilant. Sort of like McCarthy and the Communists in the 1950s, except with even less credibility. Exactly. As for the Do Not Fly list, my brother is on it, and has been since 9/11. His first name is David, and his last name is one of the most common Jewish surnames in the world. There are probably millions of people with his first and last name. But apparently someone suspicious once used it as an alias, and now he has to go through ridiculous security procedures each time he flies – including getting put in a windowless room for three hours when flying back from Hawai’i two years ago, causing him to miss his connecting flight. To add to the absurdity, my brother (1) has a pacemaker/ICD, which means he can’t go through the normal screening process without a detailed explanation to TSA agents who generally aren’t inclined to listen or be sympathetic to someone who’s already been flagged by their system; and (2) is 6’7" tall and 240 lbs, so even out of the millions of people with his name it’s safe to say that there aren’t many that fit his general description – how hard would it be for them to put a note in the system that says, “If the guy’s name is David xxxxx, but he’s a massive hulk from Oregon, we’ve put him through enough shit already, so no need to inconvenience him further”? It’s all so fucking ridiculous. Every time I see a five-year-old being forced to go back through the metal detector because he/she forgot to take off her shoes, my heart breaks a little. ---
**Author:** ![wmfellows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@wmfellows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wmfellows)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/75 "2009-12-28T15:28:19Z")
> [@Kal](#): > > Yeah, saw something along those lines a couple of days ago, maybe on BoingBoing. Specific mention was made that all the in-flight stuff got turned off in order to switch off the real time flight information. > > Gizmodo have the new security rules posted [here:](http://gizmodo.com/5435188/leaked-homeland-securitys-post-underwear-bomb-airplane-rules) Are your air authorities trying to be retarded just to reach new lows, or are they actually all utter morons. From the link: > [@](#): > > 1. Passengers must remain in seats beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination. Well that’s really awesome, because god knows it would never occur to anyone to try their lame ass underwear failure bomb at the 1.15 mark. It is was a namby pamby European citizen getting out of his seat that made a difference… > [@](#): > > 1. Passenger access to carry-on baggage is prohibited beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination. Same obs. > [@](#): > > 1. Disable aircraft-integrated passenger communications systems and services (phone, internet access services, live television programming, global positioning systems) prior to boarding and during all phases of flight. What the bloody fuck??? So, one’s supposed to remain in the dark about loco, but lock down at 1hr in advance (as if the whole real safety regs about seating on approach won’t give a hint. Other than imposing pointless misery on the average flyer to the US, what the fuck does this achieve? > [@](#): > > 1. While over U.S. airspace, flight crew may not make any announcement to passengers concerning flight path or position over cities or landmarks. Dear God. The US slides toward Soviet style paranoid idiocy more and more every day. Next up, passengers not allowed to look at out windows. Then US bound flights must disable “transparent rectangular viewing devices” (windows). > [@](#): > > 1. Passengers may not have any blankets, pillows, or personal belongings on the lap beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination. Because God knows the proper response to one stupid Nigerian burning his nuts off is to render millions of innocent travellers uncomfortable. > [@](#): > > Cat Whisperer’s sleeping pill idea sounds about right. Some Depends would be useful as well. Orange overalls and a blindfold optional. Only American government issues Depends mate, can’t take the chance of a Urine-Activated-Improvised-Balls-Burner-Bomb (hereafter in US security lingo, UAIBBB) ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/76 "2009-12-28T15:50:36Z")
Wow, that’s just terrible. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/77 "2009-12-28T16:15:37Z")
> [@BorgHunter](#): > > Do you really want to do that to law-abiding Muslims, for a little temporary (perceived) security? \ That’s what sticks in my craw about these and all other over-the-top security measures since 9/11 - perceived security. I don’t want to alarm anyone or get on the CIA’s terrorist list, but my husband and I drive our car down to the US almost every year, going through a land customs gate. They look under our car, they look at the top layer of stuff in the trunk, they ask us our names and destination, and we’re on our merry way, to do as we please. So terrorists can’t fly planes into buildings; guess they have to figure out something else. Hmm, it occurs to me that we better go see everything we want to see in the US pretty quick, before all the borders get slammed shut permanently in the ever-elusive quest for perceived security. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/78 "2009-12-28T16:42:32Z")
Maybe we should all just agree to be blindfolded, gagged and strapped to our seats for the duration our flights from here on out. Which, now that I think about it, might make some journeys a little more bearable. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/79 "2009-12-28T16:58:33Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > The answer is gonna be this: we’ll stop flying. If we need to be somewhere, we’ll start taking longer to get there. We’ll drive, we’ll ride the Big Grey Dog, we’ll take a train…but we won’t take a plane. Pretty soon the airline industry will put a stop to this nonsensical bullshit when their revenues start falling. _Start_? Haven’t they been plummeting already? To the TSA: I’ve got an idea: Why not prevent people who are on the watch lists from getting on the plane in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683/80 "2009-12-28T17:09:36Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > _Start_? Haven’t they been plummeting already? > > To the TSA: I’ve got an idea: Why not prevent people who are on the watch lists from getting on the plane in the first place? Are you not following along? What if someone named “Lee Park” is on the watch list? Do you know how many Lee Parks there are in the world? What if there’s a “John Smith” on the watch list–which John Smith would that be, again? What about Mohammed ibn Mohammed? Think there might be more than one of those in the world? Maybe just one or two, enough to possibly cause just a tiny, eentsy little bit of, I don’t know, CONFUSION at a busy airport? Times infinity? Gee, I think we’ll be perfectly safe if NO ONE AT ALL IS EVER ALLOWED ON AN AIRPLANE, EVER IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. There you go, problem solved, and as a solution it’s no more retarded than what the TSA already does. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-airline-restrictions-oy/522683.md?page=5)