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. Flight attendants said they were turned off as a security measure.
– Two days after implementing stiff restrictions on carry-on items and in-flight entertainment, the TSA relaxed the new rules today, airline sources tell MSNBC. Passengers will be allowed to have blankets on their laps and leave their seats during the final hour of a flight, use electronic devices, and watch TV on flights that offer it. The clamp-down had drawn widespread criticism even as passengers submitted to the amped-up rules and tough new screening procedures that delayed many flights. "TSA has a long history with the flying public of little communication, scant explanation and seemingly mind-boggling rules," cautioned Scott McCartney, who blogs about business travel for the Wall Street Journal. "The same mistakes are repeating."