For some, exasperation with new U.S. rules for passenger aircraft is running high. Why? Because, according to German columnist Andreas Theyssen, by almost any objective measure, the new regulations being imposed won’t do a thing to make flying any safer.
For Germany’s Financial Times Deutschland, columnist Andreas Theyssen writes in part:
There are many ways to encapsulate the state of the world. When rational people scrap perfectly good cars, then we know: There’s an economic crisis, and governments are trying to boost the economy with scrapping fees and by stimulating the stinginess-is-cool gene.
When bankers head out at night and withdraw cash from five different ATM machines, then we know: There’s something rotten in our financial system.
And when even the U.S. president is informed that some passenger has repeatedly gone to an aircraft toilet, then we know: The world is degenerating into terrorism hysteria.
In their effort to preclude a future attack à la Abdul Mutallab, security regulators are off course. It’s true that the arrangements they’re crafting will get on the final nerve of passengers, although they can also be easily circumvented by potential attackers.
Take the toilet ban, for example. On transatlantic flights, restrooms will be locked an hour before landing. After all, Abdul Mutallab had locked himself into one of these little “retreats” for 20 minutes to assemble his incendiary device. And what does this “security measure” achieve? From now on, there will be a sharper odor on U.S. flights and attackers will be going to the toilet 1.5 hours before landing.
The new regulations for U.S. flights don’t bring the tiniest bit more security, and regulators know it. But to do nothing after this type of attempted attack – that’s not possible given the usual spiral of hysteria.
By Andreas Theyssen
Translated By Stephanie Martin
December 30, 2009
Germany – Financial Times Deutschland – Original Article (German)
There are many ways to encapsulate the state of the world. When rational people scrap perfectly good cars, then we know: There’s an economic crisis, and governments are trying to boost the economy with scrapping fees and by stimulating the stinginess-is-cool gene.
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