Various reports have been filtering through the Internet since a failed terror attack in Detroit, MI on Christmas Day, that there has been some major clamping down on security.
People have reported online there have been more pat-downs and some airlines are enforcing stricter restrictions on flights. This includes, on some flights, bans on all electronic items during the flight. The Transportation Security Administration of the US Government said:
Passengers flying from international locations to U.S. destinations may notice additional security measures in place. These measures are designed to be unpredictable, so passengers should not expect to see the same thing everywhere.
You may be lucky and find that your airline doesn't have this ban in place, but be sure to have a book on hand in case your DS is banned on that long, long flight!
[source platformnation.com, via tsa.gov]
Comments 42
How can they ban electronics? Business people need cell phones, laptops, etc.
I won't be flying if I can't use my DS, PSP, or laptop. Just not gonna happen. I'll take the train.
Um, wouldn't they then ban their equipment? Ah well, I don't fly that much.
Like I said in the thread, I don't fly in airplanes so I don't care what they ban. This will piss business men off though.
Lets review this shale we? They (keyword is THEY) completely Fail to protect us/stop a terrorist from getting on the plane/follow their own rules that would have prevented that incident and so They decide to make more rules that dont do anything to prevent the incident from happening again, just annoy us that much more.
@corbie Don't think American's will be hit so hard by that rule but it shouldn't be a rule that lasts too long. It doesn't seem to be official so this rule might fade in a few weeks once they calm down
Corbie, you can't really take a train for international travel if you're going/leaving the United States. Unless of course, you only want to travel to Canada or Mexico.
Yeah if I have to fly overseas, nothing I can do but suck it up. As Rebecca said, maybe this is just an overreaction and might not hold up for long. We'll have to wait and see how it goes.
I personally don't fly in planes, but this is complete bullcrap. Expect many people to get pissed off because of this stupid rule.
@5.hoodtrix: They're probably just using it as an excuse to make you pay extra for their entertainment system.
you are right
Don't call me Shirley!
I saw that movie.
Y'know, I haven't flown anywhere since my second trip to Alaska.
...they'll be hard-pressed to get me to go there a third time now. Oh well. That was years ago. I'll survive without travel.
This was right in my backyard too...
All I've read in actual news outlets online are that passengers must remain seated and not have anything in their laps for the last hour of the flight (includes electronics) and are restricted to 1 carry on bag. These rules only apply to incoming international flights to the US at this time. You can also have your carry on screened at the gate as well as in a security line, and security is taking longer with more careful checking. Is there a specific airline or country going above and beyond these TSA rules and banning electronics? If not, why is this even posted? It seems like, if anything, banning all electronics from flights is an occasional case-by-case thing. Also, are they banning electronics being brought on the flight? Or just their use? Oh wait, the original source in all of this is Twitter...guess there aren't enough characters to know for sure.
Also, none of the stupid rules will help when they let someone who pays in cash for a 1 way international ticket, selects a seat in the thinnest part of the plane, has no checked baggage, AND is on the terror watch list on a plane without any extra screening, and he detonates the bomb strapped to his body in the restroom 1 hour and 15 minutes before the plane lands.
Oh well, I'm affected but if I choose an alternative to gaming I'll be fine.
(If TSA ever touches my DSi, I'll snap their fingers, in a bad way )
@Blue Protoman: I was just recently telling someone (my fiance, if i remember right) about that shirley joke from airplane.
@SSBF1999: If you don't fly in planes, what exactly do you fly in?
@Sylverstone: The tough talk is cool and all, but you know you wouldn't lay a hand on a TSA employee, unless you wanted to end up in jail or juvie-hall (depending upon your age).
@Sylverstone They wont take your DSi unless they feel theres genuine reason to.
@Token_Girl News outlets are one thing but in the fallout from all this things are gonna be a bit hokey-cokey in terms of rules for a bit. I imagine the general rule and advice from TSA is to only restrict items near landing but airlines can add whatever rule they please if they feel they need to take steps. We had a bomb and liquid scare a few years back and airlines banned electronics for something like 3 months. You could take them in check-in luggage if you wanted but not use them in-flight
Note I did say "some" flights, it's not official but I believe the news should be out there in case anyone is due to fly soon so there is chance to prepare rather than find their airline has just put this ban in place. As the last thing people want when at an airport is extra fuss
That is by far the STUPIDEST thing Ive ever heard.
And thus America's airlines continue to sink ever further...
That pic makes me want to watch Airplane again. Love that movie.
IMA TERRORIZE U WITH A DSi!!!!
@22 LOL.
This is complete stupidity. I had not flown in a plane for quite some time, and I might not fly in a plane for quite some time after reading this.
@18 I was going to ask the same thing but you beat me to it.
@Storm Owl: I'm sure we'd all love airplanes which would not disintegrate when a bomb is detonated inside of them. This has nothing to do with electronics ... sheesh. Where do people come up with this stuff? Honestly.
@Miyabi273: Sorry!
I haven't flown anywhere since a random trip to Texas back in '05. Don't plan on doing so again unless it's a small plane, like a single-engine Cessna or Cherokee and I'm flying it... well, either me or Gary Numan. Whichever chance is greater.
Anyways, the terrorists win again, the "free" world suffers a little more for NO REASON and it all reminds me once again of grade-school where one jackass ruins it for the rest of us. Only in grade-school, they banned anything fun under the pretense of it being a "distraction".
Yeah, this seems as much an overreaction as the ban on liquids on flights in the UK (which was major pain and seems to have been inspired by the "shoe bomber" as well).
Honestly, if they really want to improve security they'll have properly trained security people doing passenger interviews before boarding like they do when you fly to Israel. It adds an over an hour to the check-in process, but it doesn't depend entirely upon expensive x-ray machines and clearly flawed databases to nab baddies and they haven't had a hijacking or other incident in decades and they're easily the biggest target on the planet.
I'd rather that than an airline employee asking me questions from a list without bothering to make eye contact which is a complete waste of time.
Ugh. The TSA is becoming more and more of an abject nuisance by the day. The good intentions of its founding are proving to be yet another inconvenience to the majority of perfectly harmless travelers across the states. Just one more big government entity far outwearing its necessity and welcome.
If it is within my power to take the train from now on, I believe I'll take that option. Far less of a hassle and more time to sit there and play my DS/PSP. ^_~
Too bad trains in the States often cost as much as flying and are delayed even more than flights in security regulation chaos.
@Token Girl: Well that is particularly lousy, disheartening news. I am dismayed to hear it.
From the TSA. This only applies to incoming international flights:
2. IN FLIGHT
1. During flight, the aircraft operator must ensure that the following procedures are followed:
1. Passengers must remain in seats beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
2. Passenger access to carry-on baggage is prohibited beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
3. Disable aircraft-integrated passenger communications systems and services (phone, internet access services, live television programming, global positioning systems) prior to boarding and during all phases of flight.
4. While over U.S. airspace, flight crew may not make any announcement to passengers concerning flight path or position over cities or landmarks.
5. Passengers may not have any blankets, pillows, or personal belongings on the lap beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
TSA Security Directive SD-1544–09-06
As a great man once said 'people who give up their liberty for more security deserve neither'..
That said, take a book, look out the window, have a lovely sleep, TALK to your family, the time will still pas if you can't play Pokemon for a few hours.
Hopefully these security measures won't last long.
@Amorous Badger: Yeah? What about businessman who need their laptops on flights?
@no 35 chappy.
They managed before the advent of laptops, they'll manage again.
oh yay for are government always making a big deal out of things that they cause
Well flights to the US are so overpriced anyway that this won't affect me.
Well, I'm in New York safely (thank God) and I'm not going to jail!
Seriously, I'm not that crazy.
But the beefed-up security was present: checking my carry-on, telling me to stow the stuff in my lap under the seat, et cetera.
This must really suck for those people that play DS to pass those long flights to Hawaii on Holiday Break.
From what I read, this might only be if the flight is to/from a US location: http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/opinion/1567028/electronics-banned-us-flights
This might not apply to the rest of the world.
@35.CH405K1N6: Oh, won't somebody please think of the buisness men!
My dad works for the TSA, and I thought this sounded a little sketchy so I asked him, and I can tell you that this is a bunch of bullcrap. This article is based on hearsay, and what is really going on is that you can't leave your seats for the last hour of the flight, and very few flights MAY ban electronics for the last hour, but there's nothing like that going on right now.
Oh Hell no You mean i can't use my DS Lite/PSP/iPod While on the plane?! ;_; It better be temporary! O_O
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