Well, that didn’t take long. As a reaction to the recent airplane “terrorist” incident that Karen first wrote about, the Fearmongers (better known as the “government”) have implemented even more time-wasting/control-the-sheeple “security” measures for air travelers.

NEW RESTRICTIONS QUICKLY ADDED FOR AIR PASSENGERS

In the wake of the terrorism attempt Friday on a Northwest Airlines flight, federal officials on Saturday imposed new restrictions on travelers that could lengthen lines at airports and limit the ability of international passengers to move about an airplane.

But several airlines released detailed information about the restrictions, saying that passengers on international flights coming to the United States will apparently have to remain in their seats for the last hour of a flight without any personal items on their laps. It was not clear how often the rule would affect domestic flights. Overseas passengers will be restricted to only one carry-on item, and domestic passengers will probably face longer security lines. That was already the case in some airports Saturday, in the United States and overseas.

Of course, here are some unintended (or perhaps intended—for more control of the sheeple?) consequences:

Airline industry executives said the new steps would complicate travel as vacationers return home from holiday trips and could also cause travelers to cancel plans for flights in 2010.

Just what the slumping airline industry needs—less travelers. No need to worry though. If the airlines start to go under, the government will deem them too big to fail and, thus, take them over just like it did General Motors. Can you say, “Aeroflot&#148?

[Thanks to Julian Morris]