OTTAWA - Nothing on the lap and no moving around the flight cabin in the final hour before landing. And only one carry-on bag allowed.
Those are among the new restrictions imposed Saturday on Canadian and other travellers flying to U.S. destinations after an apparent terror attack on a Detroit-bound flight was foiled on Christmas Day.
Airline passengers are also warned that they can expect longer check-in times, extra pat-downs, flight delays and missed connections. They will likely see more bomb-sniffing dogs and other safety measures as airports worldwide tighten security.
All this after a man allegedly tried to light an explosive on a Northwest Airlines flight as it was about to land in Detroit after a flight from Amsterdam.
Others on the aircraft overpowered the suspect, identified by U.S. officials as Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian. He was charged Saturday in Detroit with trying to blow up the plane.
The frightening incident renewed security concerns for air travel around the world.
Air Canada said in a statement that new rules imposed by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration will limit on-board activities by passengers and crew in U.S. airspace.
"Among other things, during the final hour of flight customers must remain seated, will not be allowed to access carry-on baggage, or have personal belongings or other items on their laps," the airline said.
Air Canada is not alone in applying the rules. The Associated Press said passengers getting off both U.S. domestic flights and those arriving from abroad reported being told that they couldn't get out of their seat for the last hour of their flight.
Air Canada said the added security measures will have a ripple effect. "While these measures directly affect only flights from Canada to the United States, domestic and international flights may also experience delays due to airport congestion and delayed aircraft," it said.
The federal government has ordered Transport Canada and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority to assume a heightened state of vigilance.
Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan and Transport Minister John Baird announced the new steps in a joint statement. Van Loan said he has spoken with U.S. Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Jane Lute regarding the incident.
"Security threats to the United States are security threats to Canada. The Canadian government remains fully engaged with the Obama administration on efforts to combat terrorist threats."
Baird said passengers travelling by air could experience delays due to increased safety measures and should plan accordingly. "The safety and security of all Canadians is of the utmost importance to our government," said Baird.
Air Canada and WestJet are among airlines that have advised passengers on U.S.-bound flights to expect delays. WestJet told its passengers to expect a secondary seach.
In a separate statement Saturday, Transport Canada said passengers are now restricted to one carry-on bag.
"Additional searches of passengers and their carry-on bags will be carried out. Delays can be expected so passengers are advised to arrive at the airport three hours in advance of their scheduled flight."
Transport Canada also urged travellers to be aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious behaviour to authorities.
While full details of Friday's incident have yet to emerge, Van Loan and Baird reiterated the Canadian government's support for using no-fly lists to increase aviation security and protect the public.
"It is clear that Canada is not immune from incidents of terrorism. Canada has disrupted terrorist plots, and has successively tried and convicted terrorists. We will continue to take the appropriate action to protect the safety and security of Canadians," they said in their joint statement.
At Amsterdam's airport, U.S.-bound travellers were undergoing body searches.
"The extra measures apply worldwide on all flights to the U.S. as of now and for an indefinite period," said Judith Sluiter, spokeswoman for the Dutch National Co-ordinator for Counterterrorism.
Jennifer Allen encountered the tougher security on her way from Amsterdam to Detroit on Saturday. Her Northwest Airlines flight was on the same route disrupted by the attempted attack a day earlier.
"They patted you down really well," said Allen, 41, an automotive engineer from Shelby Township, Mich. "It wasn't just a quick rub, it was a slow pat. They went through everything in your bags, went through the pockets in your pants, the pockets of your coat."
Other passengers said security officers went through their luggage more thoroughly. For the last hour of the flight on Saturday, they had to keep their seat belts on and couldn't use electronic devices or get up to go to the bathroom.
Sarabjit Dhillon, 35, of Sterling Heights, Mich., was returning from a visit to India with family. Even her three young children got a pat-down.
"They had to open each and every item. They didn't tell us why they were doing it, they just said the United States wanted them to do it, to check everything," she said.
Passengers flying to the United States from London's Heathrow said they received text messages informing them they could carry only one piece of hand baggage onto the plane.
Italy's civil aviation authority, ENAC, said its extra measures for passengers leaving for the U.S. included increased passenger and baggage searches.
Passengers in Brussels were advised to reach the airport three hours before departure to allow time for a second security check at the boarding gate.
In Sweden, Denmark and Norway, airport operators said they would apply tougher security checks on flights destined for the U.S., but that they did not plan tighter security rules for other flights.
Officials in the Mideast and in India said they were maintaining their current procedures, which they said were already high.
Little was different at the airport in Lagos, Nigeria, where the suspect's trip originated. Soldiers impassively stared at those passing into the departure terminal Saturday. Others sat and talked among themselves, loaded rifles tossed over their shoulders.
