Are you deter from going to vacation now?

Is the TSA paranoia about liquid explosive deter you from planning next vacation trip? I am reluctant to fly on airline now. There is too much paranoia. We will soon fly naked on airline. <img src="/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

How can families with children would take vacations now? The parents will go insane if the kids don't have their toys on the plane. They will be dirty, grimmy without shampoo, soap to wash. How can the men shave without shaving cream? Are we suppose to use electric razor all the time. The prospects of disposing these items before getting on the plane is too expensive for every trip.

Is it paranoia when the threat is real?

I know of several families with small children that are planning on taking (flying) vacations in the next few months. Some of them already have tickets in hand, others are in the planning stages.

The new regulations won't affect them that much. Most parents with multiple young children put everything in their checked luggage anyway, except for some snacks and in-flight toys. This was true before the new carry-on restrictions, and will continue the same. It's just not pratical to go carry-on only with multiple small children. The soap, shampoo, toothpaste, shaving cream, etc. all go in the checked luggage.

You can now bring on small amounts of non-prescription meds into the cabin, as well as prescription meds. The same goes for baby formula, sippy cups, juice boxes, and food for the kiddies. Oh, and electronics are also allowed in the airplane cabin, and even if they are banned, there's always crayons, paper, stickers, and a myriad of other toys that take no batteries and include no liquids.

Even if luggage restrictions become more severe, I don't see them preventing me from flying with DD. Increased ticket prices might, but not luggage restrictions. However, I am working on methods of entertaining DD without any props (e.g. with just voice, hands, eyes, and ears). I find that it is a great cost-savings technique, in addition to a useful skill.

-Kuovonne

Is she reading yet? I'm horrible at judging ages based on photos.

Swiss Family Robinson is good material for kids, and it's big enough to take up both legs of a journey.

Electronics will always be a sensitive issue since the bulk of travelers bring their cameras/laptops/dvd players etc... Even thou these items are not needed during the flight they cost pretty penny and I carried around as valuables. Besides photographers going on the huge photo shoots and checking in bulk of quipment everyone I know prefers to carry-on their electronics since airline won't pay for it if damaged or stolen from the check-in luggage. If ever Homeland Security forbids electronics on board this is going to cause a serious blow to the airline industry since the way that stuff is handled behind the scenes (I know I work at jfk) and way stuff goes missing it is going to cost them a lot. And with shark lawyers at every corner, people will get their money one way or another.

My family and I had just arranged our trip (part business and part vacation), when we heard the news the next morning. We decided not to go, especially since we would be bring our two little ones. I cancelled my conference plans and our vacation. We will probably take a cruise instead since then we won't have to fly first. I think the kids will have a better time as the cruise ship has children play rooms and activities.

I leave next Wednesday with myself, my wife, two small children (4 and 5), and a mother-in-law (don't ask) for a trip from the southeast to the northwest. This is not going to be fun, especially the Orlando to Salt Lake part.

My plan is to pack expensive electronics in the same suitcase with a firearm or two. That way, everything gets inspected right in front of me, and then locked. That way, the TSA cannot steal anything. I suppose that they could lose the entire suitcase, but I plan on plastering it with my name and phone number so any loss should be temporary. I would take a pistol along even if I wasn't planning on going shooting when I get to my destination, just to "work the system" to make my stuff safer.

Funny how the current regulations sort of encourage people to bring firearms on a plane. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

The current situation is not going to affect my vacation plans in the slightest. I think about my ancestors and what they went through to get to this country, and what they went through crossing it in wagons. Suddenly it doesn't seem like such a terrible hardship to do without my Gatorade and Bryllcream for a few extra hours. And I refuse to let a few scumbag fanatics change my attitude.

Are we maybe getting a little too soft these days?

Ironraven,

Uh, DD is 3 years old. So, she isn't up to reading Swiss Family Robinson yet.

-Kuovonne

Dr Seuss?

As I said, I'm horrible at judging age. From Blast's pictures, I figured she was four or five.

Hey IronRaven,

That's quite a gifted four or five year old to read Swiss Family Robinson. Oh geez, I just turned 43 (old age caught up to me and I forgot how old I am) and I have a hard time reading it. Love the movie though.

It is? *scratches behind ear* OK, I'm busted.

I was the kid who was in special education becuase he was ahead by several grade levels of knowledge and ability. I seem to recall thinking that kindergarten was a prison designed to further lower the minds of my "peers" to those possessed by a pair of dirty socks.

And yes, I got in a LOT of trouble for expressing my feelings about my classmates. And thier parents. And the "teacher"/pattycake supervisor. I was sent to the principle's office the first day.

Everyone with kids, don't hope for a genius, we really are a problem when we are little. If you get one, teach them humility quickly. Or you'll end up like my mother- her hair started going grey before I was in first grade.

For me, the purpose for flying somewhere rather than driving is to save time, at the expense of paying more for that privilage.

The time savings don't happen so much anymore unless you're embarking on a cross-country flight. It's almost gotten to where one can drive from Denver to Dallas in the same time it would take to fly there, given driving to the airport, waiting in line to check baggage, going through security, waiting at destination baggage claim, arranging a rental car at the destination, etc.

We don't fly much anymore. The equation has tilted such that there is not much benefit to offset the cost. People taking longer flights might still come out ahead time-wise though, but not necessarily hassle-wise.

Just spent a week OCONUS and flew out and back. Plenty of kids, plenty of toddlers and plenty of babes in arms on the flights. Nobody seemed any worse for it.

As I've said before, the terrorists win when we change our lives because of what they might do. I for one won't give them the satisfaction.