[Infowarrior] - Airlines: New rules keep passengers in seats

[Richard Forno]

This is security theater, pure and simple, with the goal still being  
to present the appearance of providing security by doing something  
more inconvenient. Because, we all know, security-through- 
inconvenience is the New Normal.   Better to annoying the travelling  
public and/or sell the government zillion dollars of defective air  
puff scanners instead.....at least the Military Industrial Homeland  
Congressional Complex will be protected, and that's apparently Job  
Number One.  ---rf

Airlines: New rules keep passengers in seats
By JOAN LOWY
The Associated Press
Saturday, December 26, 2009; 2:34 PM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/26/AR2009122601070_pf.html
WASHINGTON -- Some airlines were telling passengers on Saturday that  
new government security regulations prohibit them from leaving their  
seats beginning an hour before landing

The regulations are a response to a suspected terrorism incident on  
Christmas Day.

Air Canada said in a statement that new rules imposed by the  
Transportation Security Administration limit on-board activities by  
passengers and crew in U.S. airspace. The airline said that during the  
final hour of flight passengers must remain seated. They won't be  
allowed access to carryon baggage or to have any items on their laps.

Flight attendants on some domestic flights are informing passengers of  
similar rules. Passengers on a flight from New York to Tampa Saturday  
morning were also told they must remain in their seats and couldn't  
have items in their laps, including laptops and pillows.

The TSA declined to confirm the new restrictions.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement  
Saturday that passengers flying to the U.S. from overseas may notice  
extra security, but she said the measures "are designed to be  
unpredictable, so passengers should not expect to see the same thing  
everywhere."

A transportation security official speaking on condition of anonymity  
because the official wasn't authorized to speak publicly said  
passengers traveling internationally could see increased security  
screening at gates and when they check their bags, as well as  
additional measures on flights such as stowing carryons and personal  
items before the plane lands.

A Nigerian passenger on a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam  
allegedly attempted to start a fire as the plane prepared to land in  
Detroit on Friday, according to authorities. The incident has sparked  
a major international terrorism investigation.

Air Canada said it was limiting passengers to one carryon bag in  
response to a request from the U.S. and Canadian governments.

The airline advised U.S.-bound passengers to restrict their carryon  
item to "the absolute minimum" or to not carry any bag on board at all.

"Carriage of any carryon item will result in lengthy security delays  
for the customer," the airline said.

U.S.-bound flights on all airlines are experiencing significant  
delays, said Duncan Dee, Air Canada's executive vice president and  
chief operating officer.

A spokeswoman with Infraero, a Brazilian government agency that  
oversees airport infrastructure, said that airlines had been asked by  
federal authorities to add another layer of security for international  
flights originating in the country after the attempted attack in the  
U.S.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not  
authorized to discuss the matter, said that passengers would face an  
extra screening that would take place just before they boarded planes.  
She would give no more details, citing security concerns.

David Castelveter, a spokesman for the Air Transport Association, said  
the domestic airline industry has been in close coordination with the  
security administration since Friday's incident and there will be  
increased scrutiny of passengers. He declined to comment on whether  
new regulations have been put in place.

---

Associated Press writers Eileen Sullivan in Washington and Bradley  
Brooks in Rio de Janeiro contributed to this report.

© 2009 The Associated Press