The point has been made already, but bears repeating; what is the benefit to security if the photos and prints are taken AFTER the flight has landed?
Raw Data: I did not understand the legality of the US directing airlines to prohibit smoking for flights to and from the US, takeoff to landing. Especially if the airline is not registered in the US and is flying over international airspace. But they caved, and now the US can direct anything it likes since the precedent has been set. Maybe if a united stand is taken to tell the US it has no such rights, freedom can be regained. But I guess that is too much to hope for. I have been in aviation for over forty years and I have never seen such a concerted effort by regulators to destroy the industry.
Mrs Head is a US housewife, exposed to TV, and she accepts all this crap completely. Won't fly commercial any more, because of the hassles, but thinks I am crazy to object to what is "obviously" thought out by people a lot smarter than me, and is designed to protect the American public. Dunno what makes me more sad, really.