Gosh it's hard to be objective, and no fun at all. On Friday, a travel blogger named Nicole White posted a harrowing account of being detained in Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport by TSA Agents. Entitled TSA Agents Took My Son, her post alleges, among other things, that a male TSA agent separated her from her 16-month-old son for a private pat-down, which is against TSA procedures. Christopher Elliott picked up the story on Elliott.org, and despite his sage counsel that we withhold judgment until all the facts come out, the commenting classes rose to the defense of White. ]]> Victor Ozols 2009-10-17T16:15:07-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/14/101947/28

These days, when the TSA announces a new security measure, we are ready to be confused and inconvenienced by it. Their "Secure Flight" program began in much this way as well, with the TSA frustrating travelers with demands for complete names on tickets and a disclosure of birthdate and gender.

But as Secure Flight progresses, we've barely noticed the changes as we fly about the country, and nothing has tripped us up quit yet. Nonetheless, it's important to know what airport security is doing when they scrutinize your ticket and how to handle any possible issues as Secure Flight zeros in on whether or not you are possibly terrorist.

After the jump, the basics of what you need to know about Secure Flight. ]]> JetSetCD 2009-10-14T11:23:37-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/11/222612/95

Hallelujah, break out the chianti! On Friday, EU transportation officials met to announce the impending end of the ban on carry-on liquids and gels. Just like our often confusing TSA 3-1-1 plan for carry-on liquids in the States, Europe has only allowed air travelers to carry 100ml or smaller bottles in a clear zip-top bag not exceeding 20cm x 20cm in size. It's been almost three years since they implemented these rules, and it's about time they re-evaluated the law.

Wait a second, hold off on that chianti; there has been no date announced for the end of the liquid restrictions, but the EU officials did vaguely hint at April 2012, or whenever new security procedures are in place. Nonetheless, we imagine there will be a collective sigh of relief when European travelers try to sneak through that just-over-100ml bottle of Cotes du Rhone and aren't stopped.

But what about Britain?... ]]> JetSetCD 2009-10-12T08:53:36-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/8/30/212050/156

Will you be crossing any US borders anytime soon, and are you planning to bring along your laptop and digital camera? If you get stopped for a random search at the border, be prepared to fork over your hard drives to the Department of Homeland Security.

Don't worry; they aren't interested in the naughty hotel room pictures you took or the screenplay you're writing about a mysterious murder on a cruise ship, unless your pictures contain child pornography and your screenplay has North Korean missile launch codes. What they're really after is the good old, run-of-the-mill terrorist and smuggling information. ]]> JetSetCD 2009-08-31T09:24:43-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/8/14/12531/2582

We sure hope there's going to be an "all of the above" choice come tomorrow's new institution of TSA "Secure Flight" procedures, which involve disclosing your full name, birthdate, and gender when booking airline tickets.

It's all a part of the TSA's campaign to further root out the terrorists from the average Joes just trying to get to business meeting in Dubuque. Once the new information requirements go into effect tomorrow—August 15—you're full name on your ID will need to match up that that printed on the ticket, along with birth date and gender. Say so long to the mistaken identity stripsearch!

For those fretting about how closely the TSA will police the spelling of your middle name, thankfully the New York Time has an excellent article full of possible passenger questions and TSA responses. Just remember that the whole reason for giving the TSA this information is to keep you in the skies and off the No-Fly List. And if this doesn't work? Maybe they ask us our mother's maiden names or our Catholic confirmation names? What about our Kabbalah names? Madonna could then board her flights with tickets sold to "Esther." We suppose we'll have to wait and see.

Related Stories:
· TSA's Secure Flight Program [TSA]
· New Vigilance Over Traveler IDs [NYT]
· The TSA Asks 'How Do You Spell That Again?' [Jaunted]
· TSA Watch Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: TSA]]]> JetSetCD 2009-08-14T14:09:34-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/8/10/44953/2910

Full-body airport security scanning: apparently great for the TSA but not for your self-image. Debunking the idea that the nearly-nude pictures that the scanner produces of you somehow are like porn, the TSA Blog links to a Cleveland Plain Dealer article that tells the sad truth regarding this new technology: it's not porn because the resulting images aren't appealing.

In fact, full-body scans at Cleveland airport, where the machines are being tested, are apparently the opposite of porn because—and we aren't making this up—American travelers are ugly. Now for an obnoxious argument to what should have always been a non-issue:]]> Omri 2009-08-10T09:14:32-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/8/1/112519/1752

An apparently mentally disturbed man caused the evacuation of LaGuardia Airport's main terminal for a few hours this morning when TSA authorities discovered a fake bomb in his bag. The AP reports that throngs of passengers were cleared from the terminal at 5:30 a.m. as swarms of cops took the man, whose name was not released, into custody for having "a few batteries and wires" that resembled a bomb at the security area of the Terminal C concourse. He "was just acting crazy," said one official, who didn't say if the man had made a specific threat.

The terminal was reopened around 9:00 a.m., but the delay was enough to royally screw up scores of people's summer vacation plans. It's good, of course, that it wasn't a real bomb, but it's a shame that one (alleged) nut has the power to create such chaos. Since LaGuardia is my nearest airport, I'm glad I'm not flying anywhere today. For those who are, go easy on the Cinnabons as you wait for your flight to be rescheduled.

[Photo: sangiovanni-rotondo.it]

Related Stories:
· LaGuardia Terminal Evacuated in NYC, 1 in Custody [AP via Yahoo! News]
· TSA Coverage [Jaunted]]]> Victor Ozols 2009-08-01T11:25:19-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/