I'm not even sure what to say. Sigh.

My whole family is due to fly in less than two weeks. We have a friend in London right now, booked on a flight back here tomorrow. At the moment he still plans to take it.

I just don't GET it!

By Colette on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 12:08 pm:

It is so scary. I hope your friend makes it back. Dh just had to chose between 2 new jobs, one would have had him flying quite a bit. I am glad he took the other one.

By Jackie on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 12:41 pm:

I was watching the news this morning. We are flying out of here Aug 19th.They were saying you can not bring any liquid on board in your carry on. No, drinks, lotions etc..Then I read an article somewhere said they will allow breastmilk ,and fruit juice for kids only. WOW... I was wondering what Faith would do. She still drinks of sippy cups, and like her to have her cup to suck for take off to keep her ears from popping.Im glad I can still bring her a drink with us. I figured if worse came to worse, I was going to bring an empty sippy cup and have the airline give me some apple juice to put in it. I wonder how long this will be in effect for?

By Kate on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 12:45 pm:

I've heard only baby formula and liquid medicine, not fruit juice. I have the same issue with needing drinks for my girls' ears. I'm buying the ear planes and all, but my ten year old especially suffers with this. And they won't let you keep the cup of water they give you during the 'snack' when you land... So double check the juice...I know all day people have been having to hand over their juice boxes. Hand sanitizer must be out, too. Great.

At least in the USA we can still take carry ons for the moment...no carry ons at all in London.

By Colette on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 12:53 pm:

Hand sanitizer is out. No laptops, cell phones, Ipods, either. Some of those things will be allowed on flights out of the country but not on flights back in.
No liquids or gels are permitted to enter the sterile area through the screening checkpoint or be in accessible property or on one’s person except:
· Baby formula, breast milk, or juice if a baby or small child is traveling
· Prescription medicine with a name that matches the passenger’s ticket
· Insulin and essential other non-prescription medicines

Examples of liquids and gels included in these security measures include:
· Beverages
· Shampoo
· Suntan Lotion
· Creams
· Toothpaste
· Hair Gel
· Other items of similar consistency

Also, you will not be allowed to bring any liquids or gels purchased after passing through the security checkpoint onboard the aircraft.

By Conni on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 01:10 pm:

We have too travel(via plane)in 1.5 weeks and I am now feeling just sick about it. We are being sent on a home search and too choose schools. If I dont feel any better about it by the night before we leave - I just won't go.

By Kate on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 01:16 pm:

What about domestic flights only?? I'm only going from NY to Florida.

By Debbie on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 01:31 pm:

My parents are flying back from California today. I am so glad we flew back Tuesday. They are just going to check everything, but my Dad's heart medication. They are planning to get to the airport REALLY early. They were told that security was actully physically searching almost all carry on bags.

Kate, this is for domestic flights. You can not carry on anything that is in liquid form...hand sanitizer, chapstick, lotions, gels, etc. You must also have all liquid medication in a bottle with a label with passengers name on it. However, my understanding is that the electronics issue..laptops, ipods, etc. was only if you were traveling abroad, not domestic. Basically, if it is not something you have to have on the flight, they really want you to check it.

By Eve on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 01:51 pm:

*sigh* here too. We have to fly in about a week and I'm fine doing whatever needs to be done to keep us safe. I generally travel with the basics anyway. I plan to put everything in ziplocks, so I can easily take it out and have my bag checked. I usually just carry one backpack while traveling with a baby. I hope everyone stays safe. I'm not happy now that we have to get to the airport really, really early for a 6:30am flight!

By Kateg on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 03:55 pm:

They are also making mothers test the milk in bottles for security agents overseas I've heard.

It's scary. But, we have several trips planned next year and although I'll be nervous, it's part of life these days. It is soooo sad.

Stay safe.

By Cocoabutter on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 04:15 pm:

I think it's great that it was foiled. I give the British security a lot of credit and a ^5!

By Marg on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 04:17 pm:

I was watching the news and it made me angry that people were complaining that they were waiting in lines 4-5 hours at BWI.

Safety or waiting, hmmm, is this a debate?

By Marg on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 04:18 pm:

I saw a young woman get angry because she had to throw out her lipstick.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 05:09 pm:

Lipstick? Sheesh, that would be easy enough to repurchase. Wouldn't probably even be in my suitcase.

By Kaye on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 05:18 pm:

I have to say I have some 18 dollar a tube lipstick that would irritate me to toss. I assume they will have some option to check things like that, maybe have some small 1 dollar bags. I guess maybe we don't want explosive things under the plan either.

I wonder what type of scrutiny checked baggage gets!

By Ginny~moderator on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 06:25 pm:

What it is, according to some experts on NPR, is that there are some chemicals that are liquids that can be combined, and set off by some electronics. These "liquids" can be in gel form, or even a form like toothpaste, or a liquid pocket inside a tube of lipstick. So what you need to do is check everything that is not a medicine.

I have heard that in England they are not allowing any carryons on international flights except passports and wallets and urgent medicines - even purses, briefcases, laptops, hand-held game machines, etc., have to be in checked baggage.

By Dandjmom on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 08:47 am:

Jackie, I don't know if they will be doing this when your ready to travel next weekend. But a news report that i just heard on the radio here, someone was talking about what happend when they where notified that they had to get rid of there liquids out of there carry-ons.

The young lady said that diabetics where allowed to take there medication on board as mothers where allowed bottles, but that mothers had to show that they where willing to drink form the bottle and that there wasn't anything dangerous in it.

By Jackie on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 09:36 am:

Well I would be willing to drink out of my daughters jucie cup.I have no problem with it.

By Colette on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 02:09 pm:

breaking news - Italy just arrested 40 people. It's on CNN.com

By Colette on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 02:24 pm:

nevermind - they just changed the story.

By Tonya on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 02:29 pm:

More breaking news they are now checking a plane that just landed in Chicago that flew out of Detroit.

By Kate on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 02:28 pm:

My friend visiting London got back yesterday. He said the airport wasn't too horrible, but they thoroughly patted down every inch of his body and he had to remove his watch to be physically checked, and then they had to take a bus to where the plane was, as the planes were not physically pulled up to the little tunnels attached to the airport. Once on the plane they sat for FOUR HOURS before taking off. The United States wouldn't allow any planes to take off until passenger lists were received and they were all checked. And of course no one had any books or magazines or ANYthing to do during the four hours on the ground. Once in the air they got the in flight movies.