Back home. Thoughts about flying in the time of terrorism.
Anne and I spent the past five days in Paris. And it was wonderful.
Paris is a beautiful city and even more beautiful this time of year.
It was our misfortune to fly home yesterday. It was the first day of new TSA regulations in response to the incident on an Amsterdam to Detroit flight on Christmas Day.
Our flight was delayed two hours while airline employees did individual body checks at the gate on each passenger, including a somewhat frightened ten year old boy in front of me. All carry on bags were hand searched.
If you fly at all since 9/11 your are pretty much accustomed to following rules, even ones you think are pointless.
Once on the plane, the purser berated all the passengers about the new rules, including the fact that during the final hour of the flight everything had to be stowed. No books, pens, blankets or pillows could be out and nobody could get up. If you had to piss, you had to do it before the last hour.
The Amsterdam to Detroit plot was foiled due to the passengers who took action themselves. I kept thinking that the TSA and American Airlines people were talking to us as if we were all potential terrorists. Us against them. It seems to me that our best protection would have been for them, in part, to include the passengers. You know, treat us with respect and as part of the solution.
Who am I kidding?
