US may extend laptop ban to UK flights
May 11, 2017, 6:42 am
#76
Join Date: Apr 2017
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so, If I can fly from UK to canada to NYC. with my laptop on board. What is to stop a terrorist doing exactly the same?
Unless you ban all devices from ALL flights entering the USA. Its a completely pointless exercise.
Unless you ban all devices from ALL flights entering the USA. Its a completely pointless exercise.
May 11, 2017, 6:45 am
#77
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If you went to a pub for the first time, would you :-
a) Barge into the middle of a conversation a group of regulars were having. Make wild proclamations that you couldn't back up, and insist you were right. Even when you were politely asked to pipe down, you'd still persist.
b) Stand at the bar, survey the scene for a while, smile and gently try and involve yourself in the conversation. Don't try and come across as a know-it-all, and gradually make some new friends.
a) Barge into the middle of a conversation a group of regulars were having. Make wild proclamations that you couldn't back up, and insist you were right. Even when you were politely asked to pipe down, you'd still persist.
b) Stand at the bar, survey the scene for a while, smile and gently try and involve yourself in the conversation. Don't try and come across as a know-it-all, and gradually make some new friends.
I not making "wild proclamations". I'm saying. I don't think it will happen. or.... in other more casual English "pah! no chance!"
May 11, 2017, 6:45 am
#78
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: UK
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Goodness knows what happened to MH370 but I shudder every time I think of the Lithium ion battery cargo that was on board.
May 11, 2017, 6:55 am
#80
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Can someone remind me when this conjecture becomes a new alternative reality? Announcement this weekend, I think I read somewhere.
May 11, 2017, 7:10 am
#81
Join Date: Nov 2012
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I am with Tobias-UK on this one. Is it possible we are in part the victim of Trump trying to make all eyes away from the firing of the FBI director ?
If this happens no trip to the US for me.
If this happens no trip to the US for me.
May 11, 2017, 7:14 am
#82
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: GLA
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Posts: 134
It's just bog standard nationalism. It's a irrational fear of who and what is coming into your country. A desperate grab to control as much as possible. MERICA!
May 11, 2017, 7:19 am
#83
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
Programs: BA GGL, UA Plat, DL Plat, Hilton Diamond
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I am not a security expert either but I know a little about electronics. There are multiple ways to get a circuit to open during a flight, timer, air pressure switch, temperature switch etc possibly even using a radio. Someone capable of building a bomb is capable if engineering a switch like that.
The other thing to consider is that most of the planes which have been brought down the bomb was in the hold not in hand luggage. In fact all the attempts to bring down aircraft on-board failed as far as I recall.
I think the obvious point is that Israel probably has had to deal with the most active threat, and appear to have the best security system in the world. They are not (so far) banning electronics, even from flights from Turkey.
The other thing to consider is that most of the planes which have been brought down the bomb was in the hold not in hand luggage. In fact all the attempts to bring down aircraft on-board failed as far as I recall.
I think the obvious point is that Israel probably has had to deal with the most active threat, and appear to have the best security system in the world. They are not (so far) banning electronics, even from flights from Turkey.
So if there is a plot to simultaneously target tens of aircraft with device IEDs, the potential loss of life could easily be in the high thousands. All on one day. 9/11 redux. In contrast, while there is certainly an additional risk from hundreds of checked-in batteries, it is probably (at least in aggregate) lower than leaving the door open to suicide bombers in the cabin...
May 11, 2017, 7:27 am
#84
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Studies were done many years ago to show that changes to the containers that checked luggage goes into could quite easily contain blasts but all airlines rejected using these new containers because they weigh more and obviouly there would be an initial massive expense to get rid of (or upgrade) the existing flimsy containers.
So there are solutions and no doubt we'll only see them implemented in response to an incident (or more likely more than one)
So there are solutions and no doubt we'll only see them implemented in response to an incident (or more likely more than one)
May 11, 2017, 7:28 am
#85
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Bronze
Posts: 573
I just don't see the point of this ban. Either you do it on all flights or none. I don't think terrorists really mind where the plane is flying. If you wanted to maximise US loss of life then one would do it on a domestic US flight.
May 11, 2017, 7:28 am
#86
Join Date: Apr 2017
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I think the more interesting fact is the almost complete absence over the last 20 years of airliners brought down by hold bombs (jury is still out on Metrojet). One might draw the conclusion that the industry has got rather good at protecting against this particular threat !
So if there is a plot to simultaneously target tens of aircraft with device IEDs, the potential loss of life could easily be in the high thousands. All on one day. 9/11 redux. In contrast, while there is certainly an additional risk from hundreds of checked-in batteries, it is probably (at least in aggregate) lower than leaving the door open to suicide bombers in the cabin...
So if there is a plot to simultaneously target tens of aircraft with device IEDs, the potential loss of life could easily be in the high thousands. All on one day. 9/11 redux. In contrast, while there is certainly an additional risk from hundreds of checked-in batteries, it is probably (at least in aggregate) lower than leaving the door open to suicide bombers in the cabin...
May 11, 2017, 7:33 am
#87
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It is speculated that they will do away with the ability to gate check in order to give themselves more time to do the screening.
May 11, 2017, 7:34 am
#88
Join Date: Aug 2015
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I'm no expert. But I don't think a "bomb" that fits in a iPad battery would likely bring down a plane. Kill the owner and maybe a few surrounding. Depressurizes the plane sure. But bring it down? unlikely I suspect. No more dangerous than walking in tesco, buying a knife and "going nuts".
Consider the impact of a container full of PAX luggage stuffed with devices all with lithium batteries, one of those happens to have been tampered with by someone with an ulterior motive. Said device triggers a thermal runaway in its battery, resulting in a cascade chain with the rest of the container, somewhere over the atlantic... and we can all foresee the result.
May 11, 2017, 7:36 am
#89
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: GLA
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Yet the point you've missed, along with a few other contributors here, is that it doesn't need to be an IED.
Consider the impact of a container full of PAX luggage stuffed with devices all with lithium batteries, one of those happens to have been tampered with by someone with an ulterior motive. Said device triggers a thermal runaway in its battery, resulting in a cascade chain with the rest of the container, somewhere over the atlantic... and we can all foresee the result.
Consider the impact of a container full of PAX luggage stuffed with devices all with lithium batteries, one of those happens to have been tampered with by someone with an ulterior motive. Said device triggers a thermal runaway in its battery, resulting in a cascade chain with the rest of the container, somewhere over the atlantic... and we can all foresee the result.
One of my friends races drones (big hefty LiPo batteries). And they have to take their batteries as carry-on because they are dangerous. Not allowed in the hold. So don't know what will happen there.
May 11, 2017, 7:44 am
#90
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
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I'm no expert. But I don't think a "bomb" that fits in a iPad battery would likely bring down a plane. Kill the owner and maybe a few surrounding. Depressurizes the plane sure. But bring it down? unlikely I suspect. No more dangerous than walking in tesco, buying a knife and "going nuts".
If they'd been cruising at altitude, the outcome would surely have been very different and a hull loss entirely possible.
Not to mention that the bombmakers have no doubt studied the results closely and will be looking to place a bigger charge next time
