This mornning I posted in the relflectors column that what was once an airline portable scope, may not be any longer. Since that post this morning I have taken a flight from Toronto to Philadelphia. I now doubt you could get a pair of binoculars in your carry on luggage onto a flight to the US from Canada.
Carry on allowance used to be limited to one personal bag 17"x13"X6" such as a purse, laptop, diaper bag etc, and one standard piece of luggage 21.5"x 15.5" x9". My dob is designed so the UTA stores in the mirror box once the focuser and secondary are removed. The whole thing then fits nicely into a standard carry-on suitcase with room for the focuser, secondary and a selection of eyepieces. Truss poles have to be checked with the base board.
Today's air travel rules allow for only one personal bag such as a purse or laptop. All other bags must be checked. Contents of the personal bag are severly restricted. I was told I could carry one book, magazine or newspaper but the writing pad in my laptop case had to be put into my checked bags or discarded.
I saw a lot of people carrying their laptops around the airport with no cases. The little wheeled laptop cases with room for a razor and a fresh shirt are no longer permitted as carry-on and had to be checked. These folks had checked the bags but kept their laptops. I was lucky and was told earlier by some colleaques that only shoulder strap laptop cases are allowed, no wheels.
I don't know how you could get a small telescope onto a plane bound for the US unless it is placed in checked bags or fits within the allowance of the personal bag which is rather small and has a 10kg limit. If there is anyway imaginable that something in a carry-on could be used as a weapon, it will not be allowed. Period.
In addition to the restricted carry-on allowances, all passengers are also subjected to a personal search at the entrance to each wing of the terminal. Males and females are separated. The search requires laptops to be powered up and a thorough search of any bags is completed. Potential weapons are confiscated. Passengers are required to empty their pockets and are subjected to a head to toe pat down. There is no longer any freedom of movement between terminals. If you have a favorite meeting place or restaurant, forget it unless it is in the vincinity of your gate.
There are two problems with checked bags. The first is the obvious risk of rough handling and damage to the contents. The second is the fact that all checked bags must be unlocked and loss of contents to thieves is always possible. Locked bags will not be put on a plane to anywhere. This is not new.
All flights to the US are subject to these rules so changing airlines won't help. You may think that these rules will never be implemented in the US but these rules are actually created by the US,(although they are implemented outside of the US).
It would be be interesting to see how many people headed to WPS in February have difficulty at their airport. I for one, won't even attempt to take an eyepiece with me this year, and after what I experienced today, next year doesn't look too promising either.
These policies are going to hurt the US in the end. Once the newest hassles of air travel become common knowledge, it will have a negative impact on travel to the US. I wouldn't want to go to Disneyland with smaller children under these travel conditions. Had I known how air travel was going to change, I wouldn't have bought a ticket to WPS. There are other warm places with decent seeing that I have yet to visit. Perhaps next year I'll treat myself to something new.
dan
Carry on allowance used to be limited to one personal bag 17"x13"X6" such as a purse, laptop, diaper bag etc, and one standard piece of luggage 21.5"x 15.5" x9". My dob is designed so the UTA stores in the mirror box once the focuser and secondary are removed. The whole thing then fits nicely into a standard carry-on suitcase with room for the focuser, secondary and a selection of eyepieces. Truss poles have to be checked with the base board.
Today's air travel rules allow for only one personal bag such as a purse or laptop. All other bags must be checked. Contents of the personal bag are severly restricted. I was told I could carry one book, magazine or newspaper but the writing pad in my laptop case had to be put into my checked bags or discarded.
I saw a lot of people carrying their laptops around the airport with no cases. The little wheeled laptop cases with room for a razor and a fresh shirt are no longer permitted as carry-on and had to be checked. These folks had checked the bags but kept their laptops. I was lucky and was told earlier by some colleaques that only shoulder strap laptop cases are allowed, no wheels.
I don't know how you could get a small telescope onto a plane bound for the US unless it is placed in checked bags or fits within the allowance of the personal bag which is rather small and has a 10kg limit. If there is anyway imaginable that something in a carry-on could be used as a weapon, it will not be allowed. Period.
In addition to the restricted carry-on allowances, all passengers are also subjected to a personal search at the entrance to each wing of the terminal. Males and females are separated. The search requires laptops to be powered up and a thorough search of any bags is completed. Potential weapons are confiscated. Passengers are required to empty their pockets and are subjected to a head to toe pat down. There is no longer any freedom of movement between terminals. If you have a favorite meeting place or restaurant, forget it unless it is in the vincinity of your gate.
There are two problems with checked bags. The first is the obvious risk of rough handling and damage to the contents. The second is the fact that all checked bags must be unlocked and loss of contents to thieves is always possible. Locked bags will not be put on a plane to anywhere. This is not new.
All flights to the US are subject to these rules so changing airlines won't help. You may think that these rules will never be implemented in the US but these rules are actually created by the US,(although they are implemented outside of the US).
It would be be interesting to see how many people headed to WPS in February have difficulty at their airport. I for one, won't even attempt to take an eyepiece with me this year, and after what I experienced today, next year doesn't look too promising either.
These policies are going to hurt the US in the end. Once the newest hassles of air travel become common knowledge, it will have a negative impact on travel to the US. I wouldn't want to go to Disneyland with smaller children under these travel conditions. Had I known how air travel was going to change, I wouldn't have bought a ticket to WPS. There are other warm places with decent seeing that I have yet to visit. Perhaps next year I'll treat myself to something new.
dan
