US may extend laptop ban to UK flights
May 11, 2017, 1:17 am
#17
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May 11, 2017, 1:21 am
#18
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This would in effect kill off the leftover cross atlantic flights, which previously haven't been put off by the lack of sales, low currency or "targetted by trump administration". Ie: business.
Personally I've one leisure flight left on VS to the US, I don't take a laptop or netbook anymore, but my backup IFE of 7" tablet would probably end up going in the hold.
On positive side, in all the 20 odd recent BA flights, the IFE has not failed. Though the 747 UD screen had to be jammed into place with a bit of cardboard to keep it in place.
Personally I've one leisure flight left on VS to the US, I don't take a laptop or netbook anymore, but my backup IFE of 7" tablet would probably end up going in the hold.
On positive side, in all the 20 odd recent BA flights, the IFE has not failed. Though the 747 UD screen had to be jammed into place with a bit of cardboard to keep it in place.
May 11, 2017, 1:25 am
#19
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Since I fly a lot Europe - USA, this will be very inconvenient for me. I'll have to route via Canada or figure out something with the laptop.
I got a flight UK to BOS in a few weeks. I wonder how BA will handle this.
I got a flight UK to BOS in a few weeks. I wonder how BA will handle this.
May 11, 2017, 1:28 am
#20
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I'm not loving the safety implications of this. First off, it seems likely that an explosive device could still be triggered remotely when in the cargo hold.
Further, incidents of laptop fires and so on would now occur in the cargo hold rather than the cabin.
The FAA issued a warning recently on not transporting lithium batteries in checked baggage.
https://www.faa.gov/other_visit/avia.../safo15010.pdf
Further, incidents of laptop fires and so on would now occur in the cargo hold rather than the cabin.
The FAA issued a warning recently on not transporting lithium batteries in checked baggage.
https://www.faa.gov/other_visit/avia.../safo15010.pdf
Given pre-clearance, I wonder if CWLCY and pre-cleared EI flights will be exempt? This would give them an interesting advantage.
May 11, 2017, 1:34 am
#21
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Agreed. On balance, I believe this gesticulating ban will make air travel marginally less safe rather than marginally safer whilst inconveniencing passengers further.
Given pre-clearance, I wonder if CWLCY and pre-cleared EI flights will be exempt? This would give them an interesting advantage.
Given pre-clearance, I wonder if CWLCY and pre-cleared EI flights will be exempt? This would give them an interesting advantage.
May 11, 2017, 1:52 am
#22
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For the majority of you who haven't been on a no-laptop flight yet, I bring the bad news that the real issue isn't that there are no electronics on board (incl. Kindles), but that boarding takes significantly longer.
Each person is patted down and their bags extensively searched (currently in the air bridge) which results in boarding being more like 2 hours instead of 30min and leads to well over an hour standing in a queue. Either this process will need to be completely re-engineered, or flying to the US is about to become a very different experience.
Each person is patted down and their bags extensively searched (currently in the air bridge) which results in boarding being more like 2 hours instead of 30min and leads to well over an hour standing in a queue. Either this process will need to be completely re-engineered, or flying to the US is about to become a very different experience.
May 11, 2017, 1:59 am
#23
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If the ban is being extended to cover Europe, which has probably the world's tightest departure security outside of Israel, then, for all the overblown talk of Trump tilting the playing field in favour of US carriers, something real and very serious is clearly afoot 
I asked myself:
Will it kill me if I can't work for a few hours on the plane ?
No.
Will it kill me to cart an armful of dead tree reading matter onboard ?
No.
Will it kill me if someone blows a hole in my aircraft at 35000 feet ?
Probably
So, on balance, I will put my faith in the good guys behind the scenes doing the right thing to ensure we all get safely there and home again...
P.S.
I also foresee strong growth in a couple of business areas, as follows:
(a) In-country tablet / laptop / workstation rental
(b) Small footprint bootable external hard drive with secure operating system and your data on it
With a combination of (a) and (b) I could probably fly with no other equipment at all and still do 98% of my current job...
I asked myself:
Will it kill me if I can't work for a few hours on the plane ?
No.
Will it kill me to cart an armful of dead tree reading matter onboard ?
No.
Will it kill me if someone blows a hole in my aircraft at 35000 feet ?
Probably
So, on balance, I will put my faith in the good guys behind the scenes doing the right thing to ensure we all get safely there and home again...
P.S.
I also foresee strong growth in a couple of business areas, as follows:
(a) In-country tablet / laptop / workstation rental
(b) Small footprint bootable external hard drive with secure operating system and your data on it
With a combination of (a) and (b) I could probably fly with no other equipment at all and still do 98% of my current job...
May 11, 2017, 2:02 am
#24
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For the majority of you who haven't been on a no-laptop flight yet, I bring the bad news that the real issue isn't that there are no electronics on board (incl. Kindles), but that boarding takes significantly longer.
Each person is patted down and their bags extensively searched (currently in the air bridge) which results in boarding being more like 2 hours instead of 30min and leads to well over an hour standing in a queue. Either this process will need to be completely re-engineered, or flying to the US is about to become a very different experience.
Each person is patted down and their bags extensively searched (currently in the air bridge) which results in boarding being more like 2 hours instead of 30min and leads to well over an hour standing in a queue. Either this process will need to be completely re-engineered, or flying to the US is about to become a very different experience.
I flew from IST to LHR recently and the gate security took no more than 15 minutes. I really did not feel any real inconvenience.
May 11, 2017, 2:07 am
#25
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My Father is involved in the Consumer Electronics industry.
He has just finalised a major agreement with a well recognised brand, for a number of different sized laptop cases - far more heavy duty than the 'onboard' type ones.
Said Electronics Brand, is working with a number of airlines to provide these to their customers, in preparation for a major shift in travel norms.
Time will tell, but at least the prep work has been done!
M
He has just finalised a major agreement with a well recognised brand, for a number of different sized laptop cases - far more heavy duty than the 'onboard' type ones.
Said Electronics Brand, is working with a number of airlines to provide these to their customers, in preparation for a major shift in travel norms.
Time will tell, but at least the prep work has been done!
M
May 11, 2017, 2:26 am
#28
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Or, to take a more cynical view, perhaps we are to be the victims of Donald Trump's 'alternative facts', or his 'putting America first' mantra to deflect attention away from his recent firing of the Director of the FBI?
May 11, 2017, 2:27 am
#29
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That being said, the probability of the last one occurring is thankfully vanishingly small. IATA forecasts 3.8 billion passenger journeys this year. You're more likely to be hit by a bus whilst crossing the road than die in a terror attack on a plane.
This seems to be an overreaction that is massively detrimental to the 334M passengers that fly between the EU and US each year - an intelligence-based approach targeting specific individuals would seem to be a much more pragmatic approach, rather than a 'brute force' ban.
This seems to be an overreaction that is massively detrimental to the 334M passengers that fly between the EU and US each year - an intelligence-based approach targeting specific individuals would seem to be a much more pragmatic approach, rather than a 'brute force' ban.
Then add to this the fact that in testing the cargo hold fire suppressant system is proven to be ineffective against a self-oxidizing fire, such as a Li-Ion thermal runaway.
May 11, 2017, 2:36 am
#30
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Fitch, I think there is a danger of a a fire in the hold due to a poor quality or damaged battery and that is also a significant danger.
The far far bigger danger is myopia on this. If we can't detected a bomb in a laptop it is quite probable that there are many things they can't detect. Banning electronics does not change that our equipment can not keep us safe?
The far far bigger danger is myopia on this. If we can't detected a bomb in a laptop it is quite probable that there are many things they can't detect. Banning electronics does not change that our equipment can not keep us safe?