MetaChat - You don't want to fly today

Damn, that sucks.

I have a friend flying to Oslo out of Heathrow tomorrow and she was telling me yesterday that it's only flights to the States that are affected by the UK's incredibly stringent carry-on restrictions (only ticket, passport, money, keys, spectacles, tissues and tampons allowed). I tried explaining to her that, er, it's not, it's across the board, but she wasn't having any of it. I suspect she'll have a rude awakening tomorrow.

posted by essexjan 12 August | 15:01

Wow, sorry to hear that, Pink. Will the airline reimburse you for the extra hundred bucks? (I guess we already know the answer, never mind.)

posted by LarryC 12 August | 15:04

I doubt it.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 12 August | 15:06

One day, we're all going to have to fly naked,

These people are the vanguard of air safety, then. Who knew?

posted by jonmc 12 August | 15:08

Jeez jon, that's a nightmare made uh, flesh.

posted by black8 12 August | 15:20

it's all theater and it's bullshit. Pink, did they dump all the liquids in a container together? Jan, are they doing that there too? (which actually is dangerous)

And banning books and magazines makes even less sense--is there some danger now in paper and ink?

posted by amberglow 12 August | 15:22

oh, come now. there's very few activities (with the exception of chainsaw juggling and ice fishing) that can't be improved with nudity.

posted by jonmc 12 August | 15:22

They did not dump the liquids in one huge container (that I saw, but I was running to catch a flight). I nearly told the guy, hey, take that Creme de Corps back to your wife/girlfriend/lover/whatever, that shit is expensive!

Now, off to bachlorette party. Woo woo!

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 12 August | 15:29

They're confiscating it because it's all supposed to be dangerous, right? But it's safe to sell or give to the homeless???? Read this:

What did they do with all that stuff?---...Several janitorial employees at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport said Friday that a search of the garbage near security lines was "like Christmas."
...
He said airport officials, the Transportation Security Administration and other policy makers discussed what to do with confiscated items after the Sept. 11 attacks. A proposal to sell them was rejected "because we wanted to avoid even the appearance that TSA was confiscating things for financial gain."
Sea-Tac's policy is to donate confiscated items to charity or to dispose of them with the rubbish, Parker said.
...
Officials at most airports said safety reasons prevented them from giving away discarded items because many were contaminated by other trash.
...
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport planned to give 11 boxes of surrendered items to the city's human-services department, which will distribute items to homeless shelters, airport spokeswoman Lexie Van Haren said.
In Pennsylvania, state officials were considering pulling some discarded items for a state program that resells on eBay any items of value relinquished at airport-security checkpoints, said Edward Myslewicz, spokesman for the General Services Department. ...

posted by amberglow 12 August | 15:35

How can they resell used bath goods??? That has to be some sort of health violation.

I can see it now- terrorists poison bath goods confiscated at airports due to stricter security to protect us all... from terrorists.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 12 August | 15:52

Yow, that sucks badly. This whole no-liquids crap is window dressing and does absolutely nothing to make flying any safer, just alot more annoying.

And when we do have to fly naked and tied up, the bombers will figure out a way to shove bombs up their butts. I shudder to think of the security reaction to that.

posted by fenriq 12 August | 16:05

Pink, did they dump all the liquids in a container together? Jan, are they doing that there too? (which actually is dangerous)

I think they're just making people ditch containers of things.

I'm not taking any toiletries to Vegas, I'll go down to CVS, which is within walking distance of the hotel, when I arrive and buy everything I need, leave it behind when I head home.

posted by essexjan 12 August | 17:06

it's all theater and it's bullshit.

amen. fucking goddam ignorant low-iq television-crazed entertainment-lapping terra-fearing authority-fellating meathead robotic public. what the fuck is wrong with people?

there. i feel better now.

posted by quonsar 12 August | 17:40

there's very few activities (with the exception of chainsaw juggling and ice fishing) that can't be improved with nudity.

And cooking bacon.

posted by Mitheral 12 August | 17:47

I've been on a plane exactly twice, going to and coming from Phoenix, AZ. That was a loooong time ago.

posted by weretable and the undead chairs 12 August | 17:51

jan, ask your hotel concierge before buying toiletries what you can get from them. Chances are, they'll give you most of what you need.

posted by mike9322 12 August | 17:55

No way! I am so fussy about what I use that I have to buy specifically what I want. I also enjoy browsing CVS, Walgreen's or Boots, which is the UK equivalent. It's a girl thing, I guess.

posted by essexjan 12 August | 18:25

amen. fucking goddam ignorant low-iq television-crazed entertainment-lapping terra-fearing authority-fellating meathead robotic public. what the fuck is wrong with people?

it took me a third glance to understand you weren't necessarily talking about people who fear the ground they walk on.

also, those fucking goddamn nose-in-the-air, holier than thou, autofellating, ivory tower, elitist, condescending, lackadaisical, godless, anarchic, weirdo intellectuals. what the fuck is wrong with people?

posted by comments on the world as will 12 August | 19:11

I feel guilty now.

posted by comments on the world as will 12 August | 19:11

amen. fucking goddam ignorant low-iq television-crazed entertainment-lapping terra-fearing authority-fellating meathead robotic public. what the fuck is wrong with people?

posted by quonsar

You're right. I'm sure the more "enlightened" public will stand there in an airport and argue to a TSA employee that their Old Spice and Dippity-Do aren't actually napalm, and will be allowed to carry their bottles on board.

Way to blame the victims there, dude.

posted by BoringPostcards 12 August | 20:05

I just got an email from a friend:

I flew out [NY to LA] on Thursday morning, the day of the liquid bomb scare. From my purse, they confiscated a really pricey face lotion that wasn't supposed to be there, my lip balm, and lip gloss. What they didn't confiscate/find was my nail clipper and nail file (which looks like a knife that you could stab someone with), PLUS two bottles of laptop cleaner.

Now I know I didn't look like the most dangerous person to fly that day, I was wearing a Hello Kitty shirt and sweat pants, but if you're going to throw out my beauty products, and totally miss the two objects I could use to gouge someone's eye out, plus two bottles of liquid cleaner (that really could have been used to hold liquid bombs or whatever), then something is very wrong with how airport security is run. Don't we all feel safer now?

I'm flying around next weekend; I'm hoping they'll make me drink the whiskey right there instead of pouring it out of the flask.

posted by comments on the world as will 12 August | 20:49

Yahh TPS! I hope you were able to go somewhere and shriek with impunity.

I'm going to Ireland in a few weeks and I don't know WHAT I'll do without lots of stuff to read on the plane (Aer Lingus)--usually I catch up on the Times and the magazines that I don't want to save.

posted by brujita 12 August | 23:14

I've been taking the train more often than plane since 2001 (flew up north once and to Barcelona only.) I hate the train, the constant delays, the screwup with my seating every time, the jinx I seem to carry which gives me a 50-50 chance of the enginecar breaking down and another 50-50 that it did so on the train ahead of us. So far I've been on time.. once!

But I get to bring in as many liquids as I want and my beaty products intact.

lovely blog design btw

posted by dabitch 13 August | 03:57

I predict that soon enough full strip searches complete with body cavity searches will be required to board a plane. Since nudity is OMGBAD! you still won't be able to wear your own clothes on a plane, but you'll get a hospital gown type thing to wear after the strip search. It'll be just like entering prison!

posted by sisterhavana 13 August | 10:16

TSA employee = too fucking dumb or corrupt to get hired by pinkertons.

posted by quonsar 13 August | 16:33

12 August 2006