Photo by philliefan99

MSNBC reports that all the nation’s airports are adopting new stringent security standards in the wake of a failed attempt by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the dread Pantsbomber, to bring down a trans-Atlantic flight or blow up his britches or something. According to NBC, the added security measures, which are only slightly more heinous than conditions for any passenger flying into the District, include the following:

• Pat downs of passengers at airport security, concentrating on the upper torso and legs
• Physical inspections of all carry-on bags at the gate
• Requiring all passengers to be seated for the full hour prior to arrival
• Banning the use of blankets and pillows one hour prior to arrival

Having flown from Texas (hook ’em!) to DCA by way of Atlanta on a red-eye this morning, I’d say that airports maybe did not hear this request for advanced security procedures over a hectic travel weekend. No one at any of those airports patted down my upper torso or legs, much to my dismay. No one physically inspected my carry-on bags at the gate, wherein they would have discovered potentially hazardously dirty clothes. I am pretty sure I slept the entire ATL –> DCA leg under a blanket while drooling on a nice lady from the EPA sitting beside me.

However, the captain straight psyched us when we landed. After taxiing on the runway, the plane stopped, and groggy passengers thinking we’d arrived at the terminal beganmilling about. The captain immediately reminded us that the buckle-safety-belt-light had not, in fact, been switched off and so if we could all kindly sit our asses back down until he had done so. It did not feel so much like advanced security precautions as airline personnel acting prickly on a busy workday.

For those of you flying this weekend: Has the Pantsbomber ruined everything for you? Or is it typically terrible business as usual flying through the nation’s airports?