Drinking on the Plane

Airline and security experts are still debating whether or not to ease the restrictions on liquids passengers may bring on airplanes.

I remember the days when one just couldn't get enough to drink, even water. One flight I took, with young kids yet, even ran out of water. It was a nightmare.

Today on the better airlines, like El Al and Continental, which I've been on, getting enough liquid isn't a problem. But I understand that the budget airlines charge for everything. Another problem is finding something to drink in the airports without having to pay a fortune or without having to pay at all. Some airports have water fountains. Fine in theory, but it's hard to drink enough from them to prevent dehydration, especially for children, the elderly and those with back problems. And considering that today's security checks mandate that we arrive two to three hours before scheduled take-off, that's a long time for many.

Another "liquid" many people like to take on the plane is skin moisturizer. All the beauty experts stress that the plane's dry air is bad for one's skin.

As we all know, determined terrorists can find their way around any regulation. So it's only the innocent passenger who will really be inconvenienced. I'm glad that making the regulations isn't my job.