Close a door and they'll find the window.

Submitted by Pat (United States), Aug 22, 2006 at 19:46

Eliminating most carry on baggage will be the death knell for many airlines. They make their money on business travelers. Many travelers have laptops that allow them to conduct business during those interminable waits at the gate and while on board. They are not about to check expensive equipment with no guarantee that their data will be secure or that their equipment will be returned at the end of their trip. All you do is further inconvenience travelers. Make it too hard and they'll just stop flying. They will go instead to video conferencing and other means of getting business done.

Even leisure travelers will change their ways. Short haul flights will be avoided. People will drive to their destination. They'll get to take all their toiletries with them and will most likely have a far more relaxed trip. That hurts not just the airlines, but the air taxi services, the airport restaurants, car rental agencies, etc. Many businesses depend on travelers.

Determined people will make use of what they have. We tried to eliminate weapons and the terrorists found tools that could do the job. A box cutter became a weapon. We still need to carry our identification, travel documents, cash, credit cards, etc. Does your wallet stay home? Some people have no choice but to drive to the airport. What about keychains? We still need our house keys. People who park their cars at the airport need to keep their keys with them. Is the answer to eliminate all short and long term parking?

Where does it end?

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".