Airline travel security

The "theory" of security is probably fine, but in practice, the hassles are in no way proportional to one's sense of travelling more safely. I was flying on the morning of 9/11 and experienced the sense that from that day forward there has been nothing but highly dramatic and questionably effective policies designed to keep some folks feeling secure and others feeling frightened. Just listen to the constant announcements about this or that aspect of security and one begins to think of Orwell's 1984. Security conciousness has meant that Americans who happen to have brown skin may become objects of "concern" without the slightest real reason. The strength of America is not in hunkering down and cringing; try living in a country where terrorism is a real possibility and the old slogan of the 'free and the brave' begins to look odd. I am sure that the TSA folks at each airport feel they are doing their job properly, but for having 'nationalized' airport security, the variation in treatment of passengers from one airport to another is nothing short of amazing.

I just returned from a vacation in Mexico & it was a bit of a hassle. I wasn't aware of the 3 oz & plastic baggie rule going down. It was well explained to me at check-in & I was able to quickly pack my restricted items. Coming back was a breeze. I do feel a bit safer. The TSA is around for a reason & I believe that they wouldn't arbitrarily make up new rules to make flying difficult & have researched enough to justify what they have changed.

The 3 oz rule is just for show, and does not make me feel any more secure. All it does it limit liquid volume at the security checkpoint. Anyone intent on using a liquid to mix explosives or poisons can purchase as many full size bottles of water, soda, perfume, condiments, gels, toothpaste, etc. at any gift or duty free shop. In fact all the attention focused on scrutiny of plastic bags diverts attention away from seeing the bigger picture of suspicious behavior. Deploying resources to monitor people when they think they are not being watched would be a better focus.

Uhm, first of all, this question is worded incorrectly. These are not the rules set by the AIRLINES, these rules are set by the TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION. There is a difference between the two entities.

That said, overall I do feel safer, that the training of screeners has vastly improved over what was in place before 9/11. However, some of the rules have gone way too far. Do I feel safer putting my liquids in a quart sized bag, rather than a gallon size one? No! Do I feel safer taking off my coat and shoes? No! For every rule TSA comes up with there is a "classified" explanation. I suppose I should be thankful that Richard Reid the shoe bomber and the men behind the planned London attacks weren't planning on smuggling stuff in their underpants. Can you imagine TSA's reaction to that??

Moderator's note: Thanks for pointing out the error. We've rephrased the question.

Some of the security rules may make sense, but others seem to just create hassles without any apparent benefit. For example, it is ridiculous to ban EMPTY water bottles through the security check, which will allow one to fill it with water from the water fountains in the secured area, when they are willing to have you buy water bottles in the secured area. All it does is that it creates more plastic water bottles to fill up more of the landfills.

When we travel we put all our toiletries in one bag and check it. This expedites our security check and those behind us. Lets ALL work together with airport security.

As a travel professional, I still cannot believe the "knee-jerk" reaction our government has each time a situation arises to threaten security, instead of being proactive.
I fear that the new rules, and the TSA personnel enforcing them, will cause people to think twice about flying. Last week I returned from Lima, Peru and- fortunately, it turned out- was unable to purchase duty-free liquor in the airport due to an ambiguous Delta Airlines rule of needing one-hour prior to flight time for such purchases. Upon connecting in Atlanta, I would have been surrendering this liquor to security as, although we were "in-transit", passengers must clear U.S. security before boarding a connecting flight. The TSA man gleefully confiscated water,liquor, etc from ignorant passengers. Maybe the airlines should consider explaining these rules to the traveling public?? And what allows the TSA to be immune to public opinion???

Give me my rights back!!

The rules seem pointless and change arbitrarily. What "security" is gained by using a "quart-size" bag? And only of a specific type - I have to buy expensive plastic bags to suit TSA? TSA's over-reaction the first day of the latest "rules" when thousands of passengers threw out items that were in NO way harmful shows how poor the communication is, how arbitrary the rules continue to be (you CAN bring water, now you can't now you CAN). Even between airlines and airports can't agree; on a recent trip, the airline's website suggested I get to the airport at one time while the airport's website had a different time frame.
It's all pretend; TSA pretends it knows what it's doing, the administration is pretending these pointless changes in policy will matter and will help. Higher-ups mutter about how we don't "understand" what's going on, but they refuse to explain any of it and appear not to know anything themselves. It's been 5 years since 9/11 and the emergency services in NYC still haven't worked out basic communication systems.
Safer? Hell no. Randomly treated to stupid rule changes which will change again in 3 months? Yes indeed.

Hey Carol: This is Jim Howard speaking! As far as feeling safe when flying? not in this country... or should I say is airport screening effective no! I fly my butt off for work and fun, in and out of this country, The last time I flew to Anchorage, AK. I had one of those starbucks frappachinos a 12oz bottle half full put away in my carry on, I forgot all about it until I found it in Anchorage, I also carry cigarette lighters, that's a no no (I smoke) and I have a ten inch steel plate and nine screws in my leg. and the only time anyone has ever found my lighter or steel plate is in Thai land, Taiwan, and Mexico!!! Never ever in Seattle, Anchorage, LA, Dallas, Portland, Baltimore, New Orleans, or Denver, never! where it takes longer too!!! So for my vote this screening is just a big waste of time, and takes all the fun out of flying. At least in this country.
Thanks for listening, Jim Howard...

We just returned from a funeral in New Jersey. Our two children 19 and 21 flew out to meet my husband and me a couple of days after we went. They both printed their boarding passes on Continental and met up at the airport. My daughter had a duplicate of my son's boarding pass instead of her own.... it was checked three times using her drivers license and three times they let her pass......including as she was getting on the plane!!!
No, I don't feel safer, just alot more stressed.....I wonder, is that the point?

So basically the TSA is saying that we can take ANY kind of liquid, as long as it's 3oz or less and in a seperate container??? Isn't this how the whole mess got started??

It is just more of a hassle than anything. You can go beyong security checkpoints and buy travel size liquids and put in your carry on or purse. Plus, if you really want to; you can stick a tube of toothpaste in your pant pocket etc..it doesn't set the ringer off.

I flew this summer from Seattle to Florida and never once was my ID checked against my ticket or boarding pass. Additionally, I got through security with a Swiss Army Knife attached to my key ring ( i don't fly often and forgot it was there). No one gave me so much as a glance as i went through security and boarded the plane. I have to wonder if my appearance has anything to do with it? I'm mid 30's, white, female, freckled and smiley. I do not look threatening. At best, I'd be a perfect person to plant something on, since no one checks my ID or searches my bags. At worst, I'd be the kind of person I'd recruit if I were plannning a terrorist event.
I was nervous about flying after seeing how little notice was paid to making sure I was who I said I was and that I wasn't carrying anything dangerous onto the plane. I think that for "security" measures to work, they have to be applied to everyone, regardless of appearance, to be effective.
By contrast, while travelling in the UK last month, on, a total of 3 flights I was searched 3 times and my bags were emptied and the contents scrutinized. I was apologized to for the inconvenience, as so many American travellers gripe about the delays, but assured the security personel it was fine, as long as they kept preventing terrorist attacks.

although I support security measures if they make sense, some just leave you shaking your head. For instance, on a trip from the UK back home early this month, I had some gifts in my carry on, including a pewter flask. It was empty and had never been filled with liquid of any kind. It was obviously packaged as a gift. However, since the flask didn't have any markings indicating how much it held (only bottles containing under a certain ml's of liquid are allowed) it was not allowed. Now, this flask had passed security twice in England that same day, but not in Atlanta. I had to check my entire carry on for the flight to Seattle. the alternative was having my gift confiscated and destroyed. If that makes sense to anyone else, I'd love to hear how.

I no longer fly. It isn't because I am afraid of international terrorists. No, it's because of domestic terrorists, namely the Dept. of Homeland Security, The TSA, and $5.00 an hour idiots that search you like a prison guard depending on their mood. Cramped airplanes. Surly attendants, and nasty airport personell. Fly for pleasure? Not a chance! Fly for business? Not if I can find absolutely any way out of it. Between the greed of the airlines and the rediculous and ever-changing intrusions called security, airports are to be avoided at any cost.

From the militaristic "Parking is prohibited in the white zone..." recording (reminiscent of Fairchild AFB Prisoner of War school), to the unending hours of standing in lines, SeaTac is a nightmare. This holiday season I avoided it by flying out of Vancouver BC instead.

Imagine less then 3 minutes in a line, no ugly recordings and plenty of uniformed people who all preface their requests with "Please".
I had to leave the country to travel in peace to Dallas but it was a most pleasant experience.

Traveling home from Buenos Aires, I had to clear customs in Houston. I'd bought some jars of caramel sauce in the duty free store in B.A., and these were confiscated in Houston. Had I been warned prior to rechecking my luggage, I could have put the jars into my checked bags. But I reached the security checkpoint with the jars in my carry-on bag. The security people said I could go check them in w/ my airlines, but nobody seemed to know how to do this, and my suitcases were long gone. Very frustrating!