Security Gone Bonkers?

We went over to USA just couple of days after Christmas, while the attempted terrorist attack was still fresh in everyone's mind. Higher security was expected. Fair enough.

At Heathrow, the only difference passengers felt was that everyone was being checked and handbags opened before sitting down by the gate. No big deal.

But the weird stuff was once we got onto the flight to Chicago. People weren't allowed to get up from their seats in the last hour of the flight, and even more strangely, you couldn't look at the flight path. Now really, if you were a terrorist, intent on blowing up a plane, especially an American plane, surely you could manage without knowing the exact location? Or you might have done your research and have a fair idea of where you might be after a certain period of time.

And what's even more crazy is that on the flight back from Chicago to UK, you can see the flight path. Now I am wondering, whether it's because those security measures have been lifted in a mere week, or whether American Airline isn't too fussed about a flight going out of America?

Personally, I have no problem with tight security measures. It's not exactly difficult to be sensible and know what you can take and what you can't. And if you haven't got awkward stuff in your bags, you don't get held up. At least I don't. Okay occassionally there is beeping through security gate, but hey, little frisking didn't hurt anyone. It's not the security measures I mind, but just wondering whether airlines could just stop bringing in things just to show they are doing something, as oppose to actually doing something productive.

Anyone else had flight paths blocked?