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“Snakes on a Plane” Came a Little Early

Terror Plot Foiled

Today will probably be a very interesting day for new watchers and a very bad day for airline travellers: initial news reports say that a terrorist plot to blow up a number of airliners departing from London and bound for the U.S. in mid-air was thwarted.

Some news sources:

“Liquid Explosives” is the New “Boxcutter”

Watch for it to be the phrase most used on TV and most Googled: the arrested people are accused of sneaking liquid explosives in their carry-on luggage.

According to Schneier on Security, the UK has issued a ban on all carry-on baggage with the following exceptions…

  • Pocket size wallets and pocket size purses plus contents (for example money, credit cards, identity cards etc (not handbags);
  • Travel documents essential for the journey (for example passports and travel tickets);
  • Prescription medicines and medical items sufficient and essential for the flight (e.g. diabetic kit), except in liquid form unless verified as authentic;
  • Spectacles and sunglasses, without cases;
  • Contact lens holders, without bottles of solution;
  • For those traveling with an infant: baby food, milk (the contents of each bottle must be tasted by the accompanying passenger);
  • Sanitary items sufficient and essential for the flight (nappies, wipes, creams and nappy disposal bags);
  • Female sanitary items sufficient and essential for the flight, if unboxed (e.g. tampons, pads, towels and wipes) tissues (unboxed) and/or handkerchiefs;
  • Keys (but no electrical key fobs)

…and the US Transportation Safety Administration has announced these new rules, summarized in this news story:

Passengers are not allowed to have gels or liquids of any kind at screening points or in the cabin of any airplane.

They said this includes beverages, food, suntan lotion, creams toothpaste, hair gel, or similar items. Those items must be packed into checked luggage. Beverages bought on the secure side of the checkpoint must be disposed of before boarding the plane.

There are several exceptions to the new rule. Baby formula, breast milk, or juice for small children, prescription medications where the name matched the name of a ticked passenger, as well as insulin and other essential health items may be brought onboard the plane.

Schneier writes:

Given how little we know of the extent of the plot, these don’t seem like ridiculous short-term measures. I’m sure glad I’m not flying anywhere this week.

I’m inclined to agree.

5 replies on ““Snakes on a Plane” Came a Little Early”

Nobody notices anything suspicously absent from all these stories? They say they arrested 21 people, thinking they probably “got them all” and yet, c’mon folks, they have no details on the nature of the supposed ‘liquid’? … and not a single photo of anything other than airport inconvenience or security people standing around. Not one. if they busted a lab, then they have the explosives in hand, they know what it was, how it worked, what it was made of, how it was transported.
but they don’t. do they. all they have is the hysterical press parrotting this blurb as it if was news, and a new heap of airline travel restrictions. MP3 players compete with the media they might want to sell you on board, but that just couldn’t be anything but fortuitous for the media providers. Right? of course. Ditto for the nappies or anything else.
how do they know the liquid explosive wasn’t sundried into little button shaped tablets, excuse me miss, can I have a glass of water? where is this all going? will we soon find ourselves being strip-searched (maybe cavities too) before boarding a commuter flight?

I’m flying to London next week, dammit!! And from there I have to transfer, but I have to pick up my bags and recheck them. And then the same on the way back! It’s going to take FOREVER!

And I want to bring toothpaste in my carryon, I’m on an overnight flight!!

I saw a comment elsewhere about not having your iPod on a long flight being a miserable thing… but what gets me is having to check in my laptop. What would I do if it got damaged, stolen, or lost in luggage purgatory on a business trip? And I’m not allowed to bring carry-on’s either, so no backup disks/memory keys either. Gmail archive 1GB worth of media files? 🙁

Anon, the reason they do not cough up the details right away seems pretty obvious to me:

1) airport security may not have devices capable of screening for the specific chemical signature of these explosives

2) they might want some time to study the detonator mods made to the mp3 player or wireless devices, and

3) they do not want anybody else taking a run at sneaking that type of chemical on board until the sensors are upgraded to the point where they can detect the explosives.

Or, y’know, it’s the nefarious airline / telecom / toiletries-complex that Eisenhower presciently foresaw, trying to bilk you out of more money.

Yeah, and nevermind the catch of “as long as these are short term,” cause, yeknow, it sure looks like this faux war is going to end anytime soon.

In other news, why can’t I hop over to this blog from Google Reader?

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