Increased Security Measures implemented

[mitchja]

I too never saw any problems and all pax seemed fine with the new rules.

I think most pax realise none of this is the airlines fault.

Regards

Clearly I attract the whingy ones like a moth to a flame them. They understand the restrictions, just aren't happy being told they don't need half their luggage with them on board.

quote:Originally posted by Lizz
Clearly I attract the whingy ones like a moth to a flame them. They understand the restrictions, just aren't happy being told they don't need half their luggage with them on board.


No Lizz, you probably get those intelligent people who realize that these inane security 'restrictions' are largely pointless and represent a silly inconvenience!

[mitchja]

I made a point of not carrying anything I didn't need in my hand luggage this time, even down to not taking my QC2 case (which I normally leave my QC2's in)

All I had this time was my usual mountain of papers (e-tickets, maps etc), passport, wallet, iPhone, camera, QC2's, Macbook, Mag safe cable, and cigs + disposable lighter (which I expected to have taken off me, which wasn't this time)

Regards

No, they definately weren't intelligent. I think they'd watched airline abit too much and thought they'd give it a go?!
Alot take far too much though, one guy yesterday took out about 8 books out of his hand luggage (and I'm not talking the 5 page child varieties) unless he could read a book an hour it was just pointless.

Came back from LAX this morning (VS008), a few changes:

i) Very long queues at security at LAX - everyone having a pat down.

ii) No VPort, only two movie channels - one for kids movies.

Otherwise normal, with flight updates, expected arrival times etc.

Craig

quote:Originally posted by crobinson99


ii) No VPort, only two movie channels - one for kids movies.



That could have just been a failure of the IFE. When this happens, two movies can be played. V-Port is fine to be used on flights to/from the USA now as the Skymap can be disabled.

Interesting. We were def told it was due to Government security requirements.

Flew UA906 SF-ORD this morning. No new security measures at SFO in eveidence. No lock down on the plane, or pat down's before.

quote:Originally posted by Tinkerbelle
quote:Originally posted by crobinson99


ii) No VPort, only two movie channels - one for kids movies.



That could have just been a failure of the IFE. When this happens, two movies can be played. V-Port is fine to be used on flights to/from the USA now as the Skymap can be disabled.




BA had the skymap working on our flight back into LHR new years day.At the TBIT no patdowns or bag searches.

[mitchja]

quote:Originally posted by Tinkerbelle


That could have just been a failure of the IFE. When this happens, two movies can be played. V-Port is fine to be used on flights to/from the USA now as the Skymap can be disabled.



The Skymap was working on both my recent VS flights.

Again, no pat-downs or bag searches at SFO either. They just seemed more interested in moving pax through as quick as possible.

Regards

quote:Originally posted by mitchja

Again, no pat-downs or bag searches at SFO either. They just seemed more interested in moving pax through as quick as possible.



All the rules (even on Boxing Day when they started) were only ever for international flights arriving into the the USA.

So international flights departing the USA and all domestic US flights never had the same security restrictions which is just stupid.

obvioulsy there are no terrorists in the US even considering using aplane just taking off rather than one landing.

The US would never let someone on a plane capable of blowing it up or hijacking it..........oh wait

The TSA website does say that additional security measures will be in place at all US airports for all flights. So while the heaviest restrictions are for flights into the US, there could in theory be delays at all US airports.

I thought it was a refreshing breath of fresh air to hear Obama openly berate the lack of joined up operations of the US security services in the past 24 hours.

Certainly sent a flea in the ear to those who knee jerked into the 'oh, lets divert attention' brigade whose diversionary tactics simply made peoples' journeys miserable.

A pretty good reflection on the majority views here I thought. Crikey, there's hope for them there Amerkins yet.

Cheers, Howard

[Edited because originally I said 'Merkins', which I then realised has another meaning that might offend Amerkins].

quote:Originally posted by Howard Long
[Edited because originally I said 'Merkins', which I then realised has another meaning that might offend Amerkins].


Howard, all you have to do is watch YouTube clips of George W Bush intoning 'I am an Amerkin' to let this one convulse you in fits of giggles!

[Scrooge]

quote:Originally posted by slinky09
quote:Originally posted by Howard Long
[Edited because originally I said 'Merkins', which I then realised has another meaning that might offend Amerkins].


Howard, all you have to do is watch YouTube clips of George W Bush intoning 'I am an Amerkin' to let this one convulse you in fits of giggles!


Gentlemen,before we start throwing bricks in the greenhouse, I would point out, the UK has some very 'interesting' accents as well.

But yes, I am glad to see Obama not taking the BS for granted.
Though the guy had the misfortune to follow Bush into the White house and has been stuck with a cluster F*** of an economy, and there are some issues that I don't agree with him on, the guy is upfront about things.

Google his comments in regard to the two idiots that got through security to a dinner party.

Back on topic now.

Came through Chicago yesterday flying back to SFO.
50 minutes to get through security, in a not particularly long line.

For some reason they had not separated the line adequately so two lines formed, one moved at a reasonable pace, while one moved at a glacial pace (guess which one I was in!)
The scanner seemed to want to look at every, and I mean every item over and over again. While the local TSA character (I'm assuming he thinks of himself that way - everybody else just found him amazingly rude) barked orders in the most condescending and rude manner he could find, even to the level of being personally insulting. Of course if you say anything you'll be on a no-fly list faster than a young radical muslim with no luggage and a one way ticket (oh! I forgot, those guys don't get onto no-fly lists).

TSA line of the year - 'Take off the baby's shoes'

To cap it all, UAL had taken my phone request to change my ticket from the 5:42pm to the 3:02pm and rebooked me for today, rather than yesterday. By the time my crackberry started working and I realized the error, I was at the airport, my seat was resold and every UAL plane going anywhere was full (blizzard expected). Luckily I made standby on the 5:42, the 3:02 being delayed until 5pm.

Interesting learning here :

On standy for 3:02pm, missed by 17 places, when they closed the flight, I would rollover to 5:42 standby list, where depending on status, I might be at the bottom of the list - it's conceivable that you might live your entire life at O'Hare under such circumstances. But if you stand at the gate and ask to be put on the standby list, they will do that - of course the complete effing jobsworth didn't volunteer that, and even seemed ready to argue until I pointed out his colleague had just done that for my colleague.

Anyway caught the flight, avoided the blizzard, enjoyed the new 767 - though the business class seat looks a bit narrow.

quote:Originally posted by napamatt
On standy for 3:02pm, missed by 17 places, when they closed the flight, I would rollover to 5:42 standby list, where depending on status, I might be at the bottom of the list - it's conceivable that you might live your entire life at O'Hare under such circumstances.


There's probably a film in that, the man who lived on standby!

Trust The Onion to be spot on: have fun reading here

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I'll add that the Skymap worked the entire flight also and no 1 hour lockdown.

I'll add that the Skymap worked the entire flight also and no 1 hour lockdown.

Best security move ever was my colleague's bag being checked on the 3:02 and being flown to SFO without him on the flight - I thought that was a major no-no.

Flew from lhr to jfk yesterday, the flight was delayed seemingly because they do not have enough people to perform the searches at the gate. This was not everyone by the way, seemingly random. Nothing different about the flight except in the final few minutes people were asked to remove blankets from their legs.

I am currently in the Ch at JFk having from up via Jet Blue from Fort Myers, where to be honest security was normal beyond belief, no second searches no questions just a bag xray search. the seat belt sign went on 20 mins from New York.

Obviously the TSA doesnt expect a terrorist to fly internally.

will see what its like here in about 80 mins

Here's the real reason for the new security measures.

Link