Good news: the TSA has apparently loosened some of the draconian restrictions they imposed earlier this week.

After a two-day security clampdown prompted by a thwarted attempt to bomb a jetliner, some airline officials told The Associated Press that the in-flight restrictions had been eased. And it was now up to captains on each flight to decide whether passengers can have blankets and other items on their laps or can move around during the final phase of flight.

Confused? ...

I'm sitting in Air Canada's Maple Leaf Lounge in Vancouver right now, waiting for my evening flight to London in Executive Class.

I flew from LAX-YVR this morning on an EMB-190--a great plane--and spent some time exploring downtown Vancouver. I was dreading long waits and additional screening, but the TSA was on good behavior today and the security process was no different than it was before the latest thwarted terrorist attack.

The only hiccup I ran into was being forced to check in my second carry-on bag when I boarded the plane. The AC agent told me that "for security reasons" only one piece of hand baggage was permitted. It was too early to argue.

Tomorrow I have a connection to Portugal on TAP then a week and a half before I need to be in Madrid for my return flight. What I need to do know is plan out what I am going to accomplish on this trip...

I can't believe I am quoting the Village Voice, but I I liked this story:

Apparently it wasn't an accident that the TSA neglected to tell us how airport security rules have changed in response to Friday's terror attempt. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced yesterday that there are new, more-restrictive security procedures for americans to comply with at airports, but we're not cleared to know what they are.

According to Napolitano, ...

Lucky just blogged about a new travel advisory from Air Canada:

As a result of the added security precautions, passengers should also expect delayed and cancelled flights as well as missed connections. Air Canada will endeavour to transport passengers to their destination as quickly as possible and rebook passengers who miss their connections at no charge.

In addition, new rules imposed by Transport Canada will limit the amount of carry-on baggage to one item per person ...

Just as the story was breaking yesterday, I blogged about media reports concerning a passenger attempting to use firecrackers aboard a Northwest/Delta flight from AMS to DTW. Hours later, we learned it was not just an innocent holiday celebration, but an attempted terrorist attack.

A Nigerian man, claiming to be linked to al-Qaeda, allegedly tried to set off an incendiary device aboard a transatlantic airplane Friday as it descended toward Detroit's airport in what the White ...

1948 ET UPDATE: I reported on this earlier today just as the story was breaking. Apparently it was not just a firecracker. See Hunter's link below. More details and analysis as the story develops.

Well, I can't blame this one on the TSA.

A passenger headed to Detroit from Amsterdam on a Delta Airlines flight Friday ignited firecrackers upon landing in the Motor City, causing minor injuries to others on the plane...An emergency was declared aboard the flight, operated as Northwest flight 253, according to a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson.

That's an odd way to celebrate Christmas...