TSA's latest announcement (http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/threat-change.shtm) banning all fluids (toothpaste even) from carry-on luggage is the icing on a very sour cake. Many passengers are growing tired of the invasive security screenings, the increasing prices, lost and stolen luggage, and the decreasing quality of service with commercial flights in the United States. However, given the geographical size of this country and the lack of rail options, flight remains the only practical method of travel for most destinations. Can anyone suggest alternative flight services? Are there websites that connect Cessna or other small scale air charter services with interested passengers? I've found CharterX (http://www.charterx.com/) and CharterHub (http://www.charterhub.com/) but they seem more geared toward executives looking for jets.

Does anyone have experience traveling this way? Is the price point a lot higher, making this a dumb idea (just resign yourself to buying toiletries at every destination and prepare for the mandatory anal probes)?"

Fortunately I no longer travel that much. A few years ago I was flying somewhere every other week.
And my current company, the owner has 6 seater two engine plane to take people on business trips and to the sister plant... I haven't gotten to fly on it yet.
Banning the drinks is super annoying... all the health experts say you should drink a lot of water when flying. THey should come up with a way to mitigate that one.
Banning that other stuff doesn't bother me so much... just check your bag. That's just an inconvienience.

What would REALLY bother me is if they end up banning electronic devices. I couldn't imagine a long flight without my laptop for movies and games.

What would REALLY bother me is if they end up banning electronic devices. I couldn't imagine a long flight without my laptop for movies and games.

According to the paper this morning, you would be out of luck. Even electronic key fobs are disallowed.

For those of us who routinely make the mad dash to the airport after the closing meeting, this is a major problem! Missing one flight on Monday evening will certainly create havoc with audits scheduled for the remainder of the week -- with the schedulers at the registrars already not being cognizant that an auditor cannot audit all day, then drive 2 hours to an airport and still make a 6:00pm flight, this will certainly baffle many and create undue stress (and many missed flights) for auditors....

Since I am generally in a pi$$y mood anyway -- lack of sleep, driving 1000 miles a week, clients who just don't 'get it'.. this will be an adventure!

More info on the plight a the weary road warrior next week... as this week I am in the car... Cleveland, Ohio to Tiffin, Ohio to Franklin Furnace, Ohio to Detroit, Michigan to Cleveland, Ohio === should be about a thousand miles and 17 hours of driving... I hope I find time to work:notme:

Since I am generally in a pi$$y mood anyway -- lack of sleep, driving 1000 miles a week, clients who just don't 'get it'.. this will be an adventure!

More info on the plight a the weary road warrior next week... as this week I am in the car... Cleveland, Ohio to Tiffin, Ohio to Franklin Furnace, Ohio to Detroit, Michigan to Cleveland, Ohio === should be about a thousand miles and 17 hours of driving... I hope I find time to work:notme:

I grew up near Tiffin. If you get too stressed out there is state mental facility there to provide some R&R :D

Need the address.... going back in 2 weeks for another assignment.... when the "folks in white coats" see me in the parking lot of the hotel flying my kite (the big purple jellyfish), I want to be able to tell my family where to visit.

You'd think no one there ever saw a kite.... was like the circus coming to town

Does anyone have experience traveling this way? Is the price point a lot higher, making this a dumb idea (just resign yourself to buying toiletries at every destination and prepare for the mandatory anal probes)?"

I have no 'experience traveling this way', but during the mid to late 80's I worked for a charter flight company and the going rate then was about $2700.00 per flight hour. That was pretty much the going rate back then. I've no clue what today's rates are.

Flying charter is not a dumb idea if you've got lots of $$$$. But if you don't have lots of $$$$ get used to the 'mandatory anal probes'.:whip:


:2cents:

For those of us who routinely make the mad dash to the airport after the closing meeting, this is a major problem! Missing one flight on Monday evening will certainly create havoc with audits scheduled for the remainder of the week -- with the schedulers at the registrars already not being cognizant that an auditor cannot audit all day, then drive 2 hours to an airport and still make a 6:00pm flight, this will certainly baffle many and create undue stress (and many missed flights) for auditors....

Since I am generally in a pi$$y mood anyway -- lack of sleep, driving 1000 miles a week, clients who just don't 'get it'.. this will be an adventure!

More info on the plight a the weary road warrior next week... as this week I am in the car... Cleveland, Ohio to Tiffin, Ohio to Franklin Furnace, Ohio to Detroit, Michigan to Cleveland, Ohio === should be about a thousand miles and 17 hours of driving... I hope I find time to work:notme:
Here is where the rub in all this is right now....I routinely go from Maryland to NJ for business. Historically, I would take the train or rent a car and drive. With gas prices going up on a steep incline, the Amtrak Northeast Corridor trains are packed, and becoming less conducive to work. It has actually become cheaper in many cases to fly to NJ than to drive, though truth be told, I still drive because I hate the little puddle jumpers.

By the way, the way I understand it is that you cannot bring liquid through security checkpoints. I do not believe it will stop people from purchasing water in the terminal. I could be wrong here.

Finally, I can see US business folks going to the Far East or Europe flying through Canada or Mexico if the restrictions on carry on get too restrictive.

:topic:

I grew up near Tiffin. If you get too stressed out there is state mental facility there to provide some R&R :D

There's a famous potato chip factory in Tiffin isn't there? Ballreich (http://www.ballreich.com/)

My Mom still gets these chips by mail order. Great chips!

By the way, the way I understand it is that you cannot bring liquid through security checkpoints. I do not believe it will stop people from purchasing water in the terminal. I could be wrong here.



TSA interview on our local news last night stated that 'there will be two security checkpoints' now. One prior to entering the concourse and the second at boarding. They further stated that no liquids (even bottled water) would be permitted on the plane. Only exceptions, bottles of milk, juice, etc. for baby and medically required prescribed items.

There's a famous potato chip factory in Tiffin isn't there?

Baldrich (? sp) My Mom still gets these chips by mail order. Great chips!


Yes, they are they best ever. Every time I go back to that area, I stock up with big boxes to take home. You could take those on a plane too.:D

Do you think the airlines will increase the serving of beverages now to compensate for the loss of bringing your own drinks?

TSA interview on our local news last night stated that 'there will be two security checkpoints' now. One prior to entering the concourse and the second at boarding. They further stated that no liquids (even bottled water) would be permitted on the plane. Only exceptions, bottles of milk, juice, etc. for baby and medically required prescribed items.
Thanks for the clarification...I guess I did not hear that.

:topic:

Yes, they are they best ever. Every time I go back to that area, I stock up with big boxes to take home. You could take those on a plane too.:D

Do you think the airlines will increase the serving of beverages now to compensate for the loss of bringing your own drinks?

Yes, I agree Ballreich Potato Chips (http://www.ballreich.com/) are the best ever. No other chip even comes close to the perfection of a Ballreich Potato Chip.

I think the airlines would be stupid not to hand you a drink as soon as you enter the airplane, after all you've endured just to get on board.:bonk: :drunk: :beerdive: :lmao:

Thanks for the clarification...I guess I did not hear that.

Steven,

Glad to provide the information. However, I am wondering if TSA is enforcing the same rule 'across-the-board' at every U.S. airport?

:topic: By the way, I see in your bio that you reside in Maryland. I lived four year in Southern Maryland, Saint Mary's County from 1986 to 1990 when I worked out of Reagon (aka) Washington National Airport.

Southern Maryland was a fine place to live back then, and my wife grew up there.

Steven,

Glad to provide the information. However, I am wondering if TSA is enforcing the same rule 'across-the-board' at every U.S. airport?

:topic: By the way, I see in your bio that you reside in Maryland. I lived four year in Southern Maryland, Saint Mary's County from 1986 to 1990 when I worked out of Reagon (aka) Washington National Airport.

Southern Maryland was a fine place to live back then, and my wife grew up there.
Don -

I am in Rockville and use DCA when I fly out. I doubt TSA is uniform in the enforcement, especially at the gate. But, I think within a few weeks it will all settle down.

By the way, the way I understand it is that you cannot bring liquid through security checkpoints. I do not believe it will stop people from purchasing water in the terminal. I could be wrong here.
.

Collegues of mine just got back from Indiana last night and they were ask at the airport to dump deodorants, toothpaste, hair gel, vicks (yes vicks vapour rub).. guess we can all get our customer to keep our toiletries till our next visit hehehe..:lol:
All for safety again and a few inconvenience if you check these items in..

According to the paper this morning, you would be out of luck. Even electronic key fobs are disallowed.

Hi Craig,

You may wish to verify your source.

Here is the link to the TSA for the U.S.
http://tsa-7.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/tsa.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php

Click on Electronic items. "TSA continues to allow laptop computers, cell phones and other electronic items"

Wes R.

Hi Craig,

You may wish to verify your source.

Here is the link to the TSA for the U.S.
http://tsa-7.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/tsa.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php

Click on Electronic items. "TSA continues to allow laptop computers, cell phones and other electronic items"

Wes R.


Hmm. I stand corrected. Sorry.


Added later: I checked the paper (Macon Telegraph) and I was looking at the graphic on the front page, which, in small letters, stated that it was for passengers leaving ENGLAND. Oops. The graphic listed what was permissable, and laptops were not on it.

Since the latest security measures were implemented Thursday I've flown from Huntsville, AL to Chicago O'Hare (via Memphis) and Chicago Midway to Detroit. (HSV-MEM-ORD, MDW-DTW for your flight geeks like me). Other than having abandoned two $5 bottles of saline in both HSV and Chicago it was not a big deal. TSA has relaxed a bit and is now allowing up to 8 ounces of liquid, so saline should not be a problem any more. The electronics ban was only in effect in the UK - never here in the US.

Security in HSV took about 10 minutes Friday. A little longer than normal, but not bad. It is a small airport which helps. I was talking to one of the TSA guys and he said it was going much better than Thursday since everyone had heard about the ban. It was standard shoes off, laptops out of the bag. They did "swab" my shoes (random check) for explosives, but that was done before I could put my laptop back in my bag. They also did a gate inspection of my laptop bag - again, only a few seconds.

I did not exit the sterile area in Memphis, but I passed the checkpoint and the lines did not look bad. No gate search in MEM. Did not really notice how things looked in ORD.

Leaving MDW yesterday afternoon it only took a few minutes to clear security. No extra checks or hand searches, just a 30 minute mechanical delay.

No big bottles of water will be annoying for long trips. Short hops I don't usually bother carrying water with me. I would not be surprised if this gets relaxed, or they begin allowing bottles purchased airside on the planes.

Hi Craig,

I believe both the TV and press rushed to get the "news" out, and did not do a very good job of explaining where the new rules applied, and the differences in the rules. I heard today that in England the rules were relaxed, to allow some items which were banned over the past few days.

This past Saturday, I met a person who was flying from Findland to the U.S., via England on the day the airports in England were temporarily closed. She eventually made it to the U.S., but she said the biggest problem for her was not knowing who to ask questions of. She said the lines for all of the ticket counters were very long. There was a lot of confusion, and no one seemed to know what the passengers were supposed to do.

Wes R.