I'm a little perplexed about the rationale for getting rid of the personal item in addition to one bag of luggage. Perhaps it is to speed up the security line, as the screeners would have few bags to screen. Otherwise, it seems to me if someone was going to smuggle on some explosive, they don't need two bags anyway. Although all the details aren't yet known, I thought that Northwest would-be bomber had brought the explosives on secreted in his clothes, or otherwise attached to his body; in which case, I don't see how one, two or three dozen bags would make a difference.
I also don't understand the nothing in your lap for the last hour rule. Do they think that terrorists aren't going to act until they get one last airplane meal? Interestingly, when the story first broke, some talking heads were wondering why he'd waited until the flight was near Detroit, rather than blowing up the plane over the ocean.
I have nothing against increased security measures that have some logical connection to preventing terrorist acts on planes; but I can't see the connection here.
