Flight 253 PETN Bomb Scare: List Of New Travel Restrictions

Photos

G-BNLI

see larger image

uploaded by runway27r

• 

  uploaded by runway27r | add comment

• 

  uploaded by alterCLT | add comment

In the wake of Flight 253 terror scare that shook the United States on Christmas Day when 23-year-old Nigerian terrorist suspect Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab tried to light up a potentially deadly PETN bomb aboard the Northwest Airlines Airbus A330, a set of new Transportation Security Administration, TSA, travel restrictions came into effect in the United States, Canada and around the world.

Most of these new travel restrictions became known from the words of passengers who have experienced them while flying since the Christmas Day incident. The government officials are not commenting on the new travel restrictions to avoid extra publicity in an effort to prevent potential terrorists from finding out about the restrictions. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration says passengers should not expect to see the same new travel restrictions at every airport.

Here is a list of the new travel restrictions imposed as the result of Flight 253 PETN bomb terror scare:

• less freedom to move around the airplane during flight
• removal of blankets and pillows off their lap during the final hour of the flight
• no opening of overhead bins to access carry-on luggage during the final hour of the flight
• staying in the seat with hands in plain sights during the final hour of the flight
• shutting off laptops and other electronics at certain points during the flight
• no bathroom access during the final hour of the flight
• not letting passengers know about the exact time of landing
• shutting off in-flight entertainment systems with embedded maps or GPS software showing plane's location
• no announcements by pilots about the landmarks below
  
• enhanced security check-ups and body searches at the airports
• more frequent searches before boarding
• increased gate-screening
  
• multiple screenings of carry-on luggage
  
• limits to the amount of carry-on luggage (one carry-on bag max)
• added presence of law enforcement and dog-sniffing teams

Evidently, the new travel restrictions are creating delays and a lot of headache for passengers flying during one of the busiest holiday seasons of the year. Passengers are advised to give themselves extra time to arrive at the airport. It is unclear until when the new security measures will take place, but it is expected the new airline rules might get relaxed in the coming weeks.