This afternoon I happened to be checking for flight pricing on some flights for a possible January trip to the USA on both Air Canada and Westjet’s websites. I noticed the following travel advisory on both sites, stating that carry on luggage would no be limited to one small item, ie., no more roller cases etc.
On aircanada.com the following message is posted:
In response to new government policies and in order to reduce delays caused by the enhanced security measures for flights operating into the United States, effective Sunday, December 27, and until further notice, carry-on baggage will be restricted to one personal item (purse, computer bag, diaper bag, brief case or small backpack). All other items (roller bags, large backpacks, etc) must be checked-in.
“We regret the inconvenience these circumstances have caused our customers,” said Duncan Dee, Air Canada’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “Our staff are working non-stop to assist customers and ensure that our flights operate as close to schedule as possible. This temporary carry-on policy will assist security officers at the gate in screening customers more quickly and thereby minimize delays for passengers to the extent possible.”
Air Canada recommends passengers traveling to the U.S. from Canada arrive early at the airport for their flight in order to allow adequate time for additional personal searches. Under new rules enacted by Transport Canada and the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, passengers and their carry-on baggage will be strictly limited and subject to full searches both at airport screening points and prior to boarding at the aircraft gate area.
and Westjet, never missing an opportunity to appear to be the more customer focused airline have the following statement:
As a result of the increased security measures now in place for all flights to the United States including the limit of one carry-on bag per guest, WestJet will be waiving excess baggage fees for all flights to the United States.
As announced on December 25, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) will be conducting a secondary search at the departure gate. Each guest on flights to the United States will be required to submit to a physical pat-down search and carry-on luggage, which will be limited to one bag per guest, will be searched by hand.
These new procedures are scheduled to be in effect until at least December 30, 2009. WestJet will update guests as new information becomes available.
So, with excess baggage fees waived Westjet certainly are winning this round.
The Bigger Issue
Thinking about the effectiveness of these new regulations that have been so hastily put into effect by the TSA following the terrorist attempt by a Nigerian national on a flight to Detroit from Schippol in the Netherlands, it would seem that the basic benefit is more to make it look like the TSA was actually taking action. I cannot think that this sort of move can in anyway greatly protect against what happened on the flight to Detroit.
I am of the opinion that terrorists targeting the USA are really hoping to destroy the US (and other western societies) way of life, to replace the freedom we all live for with fear and economic distress. The actual violence — albeit despicable — reminds me of an ancient Chinese proverb “Kill one person, frighten ten thousand”.
If today one were to tally the costs of the anti-terrorism measures that have been placed on air travel passengers, by taking into account not only direct costs such as the TSA process, but indirect costs such as flight delays, aircraft loading times and lost economic productivity due to time spent by passengers undergoing this additional scrutiny, and then consider that this massive expense is placed on an already faltering economy and on the massive capital intensive faltering airline industry. I wonder if this is not one of the objectives of the terrorists, and if it is, they certainly are getting close to being in a position where they can declare that they have achieved victory in this objective.
The only thing that I am thankful for, is that both the Air-Canada and the Westjet alert seems to indicate that this is merely a temporary security measure, although I certainly will be glad for the extra room in the overhead lockers.
