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It is very concerning that a bomber was able to board a plane and almost ignite his bomb.  Unfortunately the new rules do very little to prevent future terrorists from setting off bombs.  All this will do is make for more uncomfortable flying.  There are other ways of detecting bombs before they board the plan that do not take away rights from passengers.

TSA Measures After Pants Bomber Defy Logic

Perhaps we should prevent passengers from sitting in window seats, because the man who attempted to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253 sat in a window seat. Or at least keep people from sitting in window seats one hour before landing.

That silly notion seems to make as much sense as some of the “security” steps taken in response to the Christmas Day terrorism attempt. We all want air travel to be safe, no doubt. To ensure that, we need rules that are smart and effective. The Transportation Security Administration may be trying to reassure the public that it is on the job and thwarting terrorists, but turning off the route-tracking maps on airplanes and keeping people buckled up without blankets just seems ridiculous to most frequent fliers.

A review of some of the new rules, which, travelers should hope, are temporary:

• Everyone must stay seated one hour before landing on international flights. (This assumes, of course, that nothing happens at all while the plane is cruising.)
• No blankets or pillows or items in laps in the last hour of a flight. (Will baggy clothing, sweaters or hoodies be next?)    –more

Related TSA articles

• TSA Wants You To Keep Your Seat, and Your Hands In Sight (tech.slashdot.org)
• New Restrictions to Add to Air-Travel Headaches (abcnews.go.com)
• TSA: The Stupid Agency (professorbainbridge.com)