WQAD of Moline, IL reports here that on the biggest travel weekend since the new restrictions went into effect, people are still not used to wait they cannot have in their carryons. In Moline alone, they are still throwing away over 200 items a day.
The New York Times reports here that drinking water, dehydration, and bathroom use are now big travel issues. An airplane cabin can be drier than the Sahara Desert with a relative humidity between 10 and 20 percent. Caffeinated and alcholic beverages don’t have a hydrating effect, so it is very important for the airlines to provide water early in the flight and to take into consideration the length of the flight and the number of passengers. Aer Lingus, in a promotion after the current situation, announced that due to the banning of liquid, a small bottle of water would be waiting on the seat for every passenger when they boarding.
USAirways is stocking extra water and has directed flight attendants to make more trips with the beverage cart. United said planes stock 75 percent more beverages than normally consumed. Delta, which added water after the new measures, has since returned to its older levels, claiming the extra water wasn’t used. While the airlines claim running out of water is rare, the flight attendants disagree. And when they run out of bottled water, they switch to tap water. Aircraft water is considered in testing to be potentially unsafe.
Finally, with more people loading up on liquid during flight, it means longer lines for the bathroom. Which, if the fasten seatbelt sign is on, could either be a potential mess or a potential arrest by air marshals for suspicious behavior.
Business Wire comments on a survey made of 805 Americans between August 25 and 27. Americans, according to the survey are no more concerned with airline terrorism than lost luggage. Considering reports from airline employees of mass confusion, we are not at all surprised that 34 percent of those surveyed are not at all familiar with the new regulations, and 37 percent are only somewhat familar with them. And of course, we are amused that 4 percent said they would take forbidden items onboard despite TSA rules. Without these people, we’d have fewer amusing anecdotes to recount.
If that poll doesn’t impress you, try the Harris Poll of 1000 people done between the 18th and the 21st. Most polled by this poll indicate they would not mind if all carry-on baggage was banned if the TSA thought it was necessary, although more young individuals were likely to be opposed than old.
Not everyone takes polls seriously. We aren’t sure what percentage of people do. Perhaps we should take a poll.