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Update on the Crisis: An Insider's View
Peter Greenberg - AOL Travel Contributing Editor
The chaos continued at London's Heathrow, not just for passengers, but for aircraft. Airlines scrambled to get their planes in the air to start, or in some cases, complete their individual trip cycles -- to move their aircraft, albeit it terribly delayed to where the planes were supposed to be.
Many airlines announced major disruptions in service for 48 hours system-wide. But in reality, the disruptions could extend for four days. Planes and crews are still not where they are supposed to be.
As a result, many airlines, chief among them British Airways, is letting passengers whose flights were canceled -- or who want to cancel their trips in the wake of the security lockdown and delays --rebook their flights without penalties or change fees as long as they rebook before December 1, 2006. (Check with your individual carrier for their policy on rebooking).
In the U.S. passenger delays and long lines were the orders of the day, as Americans were forced to adjust to the new rules of air travel. Many airport terminals began to look like a drug store garage sale in the making, as large plastic bags and bins were quickly filled with toothpaste, hair spray, contact lens solution, shampoo, hair gel, cologne and perfume bottles and lipstick.
Other passengers who had room in their checked bags, found small plastic bags and put these items in those suitcases.
These new rules seem destined to stick as a permanent matter of airport policy. On the other hand, the additional passenger rules in the United Kingdom banning all carry on bags from planes, including laptops, blackberries and other electronic devices from airplane cabins has not been adopted in America. (One possible and strong reason: economic impact. Airlines and hotels fear their business could drop 30 per cent overnight if the British laptop and electronics ban finds its way across the Atlantic).
Other security rules may need to be adjusted. For example, in terms of passenger profiling, many airlines still operate under something calls CAPPS II, which in my estimation, while well intentioned, is silly. During one of my appearances on MSNBC on Thursday, I explained that much of airline/airport security lacks basic common sense.
Case in point: right after one of my MSNBC appearances I explained I'd be heading to the airport to fly to New York to appear on the Today Show. With exceedingly few exceptions, I haven't checked a bag on a domestic flight in eight years, and it saves me an average of two and a half hours of my life every time I fly. (In my case, I FedE my bags ahead of me, but keep in mind there are approximately 17 other private luggage courier services that will do the same thing for you). NBC was flying me in at the last minute to do the Today Show.
But under CAPPS II, I fit the profile of a terrorist. I was flying on a one way ticket that had been purchased within 24 hours of my flight, and I had no baggage. One small problem: that same description exactly fits the profile of a high yield, high frequency business traveler! And sure enough, when I got to the Minneapolis airport to catch my Northwest flight (delayed by nearly two hours by thunderstorm activity in New York), I was immediately singled out for secondary screening
Even the TSA supervisor was shaking his head as I was taken out of line and frisked, scanned, wanded and otherwise inspected. And yet, while all this was going on, no one had ins any of the cargo carried in the baggage hold of my flight -- or, for that matter, any other flight in the U.S.
I landed at LaGuardia after midnight (for a seven a.m. live appearance), and walked straight into hundreds of exhausted, stranded passengers trying to sleep on airport seats and terminal floors and then headed into Manhattan.
If you're flying over the next four days, you can almost guarantee you'll be delayed into and out of major U.S. airports or hub cities.
Be prepared for random searches at airports and to stand in long lines.But if you can become a minimalist traveler -- and there's never been a better time -- you'll have a much better experience. And a word about your toiletries: you can't put them in your carry on and you shouldn't have to check them. Remember, in most cases, you can shop for what you need at your destination city -- and then check the stuff in for your return flight. (That's one less flight to worry about).
Once again, expect this disruption to last through the weekend and into Monday. And then by Tuesday, expect a slow return to schedule and service normality, whatever that means. But one thing is certain -- many of the new carry on rules implemented yesterday may be here to stay, and that will change the way that many of us travel.
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To the person who complained about not being able to carry water on the plane:
You say it is inconvenient to ask for water on the plane, ARE YOU KIDDING ME!???? You would jeopardize the safety of all the passengers on a plane, so you don't have to ask for water from the flight attendant. ARE YOU HEARING YOURSELF? Since I flew out of Heathrow on 8/15/06 and was supposed to fly out 8/16/06, the day the planes were to be blown up, I felt great knowing we couldn't bring anything on the plane. And for your FYI, there were afghany refugees on our plane heading back to the US, JFK. SO STOP YOUR WHINING AND COMPLAINING. I flew with my daughter and sister in law and niece to and from London, and I am glad I didn't have someone like you on my flight. Everyone was patient and understanding on our flight. I was frisked 3 times before boarding the plane, so what!!!!!! Yea my stuff was searched over and over again but I know everyone was in the same boat and everyone passengers and staff were great! So you know what, since you can't bring your special water, or your glasses cleaner on, do everyone a favor and don't fly, because I wouldn't want to be standing behind you and lisitening to you bitch over somehing so inconsequential as water!
Terri -
Just flew back from Paris, France on Sat., 8/12. Airport security was tight and baggage was checked, rechecked before leaving us. Got to the gate to our plane and another check-point before actually boarding. There were quite a few banned items still being collected at this check-point, but I felt safer knowing there was so much security. We sat on the plane for 1hr 30 minutes waiting clearance because of the traffic over the English Channel. The plane was packed and some passengers had taken the Eurostar from London to Paris just to get a flight out of the country. I was lamenting the fact I had no chapstick or lip stuff to the woman sitting next to me and she informed me that she had her lipstick! She said that she just kept it in her pocket and the scanner didn't pick it up. How safe did I feel then?!! We missed our connecting flight in Newark and barely got seats on a flight leaving four and a half hours later. That flight was also overbooked by 23 seats! People who had tickets but no seat assignments were furious and made their voices heard. I felt bad for the counter attendants because they were the ones that had to deal with everyone's anger. Needless to say it was a long day for us(29 hrs start to finish), but we were ever so happy to come back to the U.S.A. The delays didn't end once we landed at LAX, for the security was just as tight. Our daughter was so long in picking us up we asked her why. She said that all cars entering the airport had to be screened too.
All in all, patience is the key word to travel right now. The flight crews know their passengers are uptight and have been through alot of check points. I think it made them more considerate of our needs with regards to food, snacks, water, etc. I won't be getting on a plane anytime soon though. Once was enough for the time being. -
when i got to the airport on thurday morning, i had no idea what had happened the previous couple of hours only to get there and stand in line to be checked which took one and a half hours, told to take your shoes off, and then dump my expensive perfume, toothpaste, body oils, sunscreen,and any other liquids that i carried on my person. next they emptied my backback spreading all my belongings on a table for all to see. i told them i was about to miss my flight and was told if i wanted to keep my belongings i would have to go back to check my things at the ticket counter and then come stand back in line that could possibly take anothr hour or so. as i'm running to make my flight i get to the gate only to be told my flight was delayed for almost 2 hours. had i known that i would have gone back threw the caos and checked my bag so i wouldnt lose my belongings.finally we boarded the plane only to sit on the runway for another 20 minutes. by the way there were no signs posted at newark liberty airport that morning to worn about what to do. all they did was dump your things inside a dumpster in front of you. very bad experience, i guess better safe than sorry
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I am frustrated because I always carry water with me when I travel. I take medications several times a day and it is inconvenient to ask the stewardess for a drink and then they give you more than you want and you have to leave it sitting on your table which is in the way. Plus now that we have to feed ourselves on flights I like to take canned tuna, and canned fruit, or beans or veggies and open them on the plane to eat or at the next long wait between planes. I also carry my eye glass cleaner with me as I constantly have to clean my glasses to see clearly. All of this security is making it more stressful to fly. It is too expensive for me to buy food and water at airports. Why should I be forced to pay $1.25 or more for water when I can get 6 bottles for the same price???
9/17/06 7:20 PM