corporate-wage-slave

Welcome to Flyertalk helen91 and thank you for your question. Welcome to the BA forum, it's good to see you here, welcome on board.

You won't be allowed the screwdriver (unless it was very small) or hard disk on board. I don't think it's a much of a secret that is the hard disk which is actually the problem here. Your best bet would be a small USB memory stick and a full backup before departure (probably a good idea anyway). I have to say that this is handled better on TK - who have a special arrangement for this area - or by going indirectly via FRA or ATH.

There are a number of threads about this on the forum, this one is probably the most useful:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-w-laptop.html

and the others are:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...es-ex-cai.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...k-flights.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...out-cairo.html

The headphones should be OK.

helen91

Thanks for your answer but why is a hard disk a problem if it's within the size limits? From the other thread it seems they were measuring them and an internal hard disk is definitely within the limits.

Any idea about the headphones and reclaiming the laptop in London? If I have to check the Bose, I'll leave them at home and take some in ear headphones.

corporate-wage-slave

The problem with hard disks is illustrated in the link above and specifically this post:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28226816-post28.html

and look at the government's restriction list here:
http://www.gov.uk/government/news/ad...ghts-to-the-uk

Now the latter says "external hard drive" can't be taken in the cabin, and to my mind an internal hard drive taken out of a PC becomes external. Whether that is right or wrong, I guess you are looking for reassurance the hard drive can go with you, and as you will appreciate that reassurance can't be given to 100% confidence. The headphones should be OK though.

On BA you would need to ask for the bag to be short checked to London, which should be possible (though some have had problems there), then you need to clear immigration in T5, reclaim from the baggage carousel, and re-check in for the USA in the usual way. In that respect TK wouldn't be much easier since their laptop return point is past immigration in T2.

helen91

That's as clear as mud! From the other thread "I had no issues with my search but while waiting at the gate I noticed it was not just laptops and phones they were measuring but items such as hard disks, power banks and other electrical items like presentation remotes and pointers".

If they're going to measure them, then it stands to reason that they would be allowed if within measurement limits, no? From a quick search it seems the dimensions of my internal drive are 10 x 7 x 0.9 cm. I see an external hard drive as one within an external case.

Anyway, thanks for the pointers. I'm not sure what to do now though. I'm not checking in the disk, so perhaps I can use a different internal SSD such as an M.2. Need to check what my laptop supports.

robiles

Hay

is there any more news about weather the US are going to extend the ban to flights from the U.K. I keep finding contradicting information

many thanks
rob

corporate-wage-slave

The Times' and The Guardian's security correspondents were briefed on lobby terms (i.e. non attributable) that the USA DHS had made soundings in this area to the UK government. The TSA, a DHS agency, subsequently denied any immediate plans. My guess is that it won't happen in the near future, since the USA airline industry will have been lobbying like mad since this story came out. Which is why this story may have come out.

DYKWIA

Lobbying for or against extending the ban? I think I can guess

Howard Long

FWIW I came back from AMM yesterday into LHR on RJ. I checked my laptop and tablet landside at AMM (I was in transit from BKK, but had a long layover so used the free transit visa when staying at the Amman Airport Hotel).

There was a secondary full hand search at the gate which was messy. I'd say about 30 to 40% had to check items at the gate, and there was no packaging available, so folks had to find some means of re-packing with their already limited hand baggage.

Regarding cameras, I have a DSLR with a few lenses and I'd printed out a copy of this https://www.gov.uk/government/news/a...ghts-to-the-uk although it wasn't necessary. They swabbed it both at the primary security line and at the gate, but was allowed to take it on board.

Note that there is no swabbing machine at the first screening point if use the priority lane by the RJ Crown biz check in, so you have to wait for a bloke with "the right clipboard" to take you over to the usual lanes where there is a swabbing machine.

There was also no separate biz line at the gate for the second hand search, although that didn't stop several folk with the right credentials (whatever they might be) managing to get accepted at the head of the queue.

Edit: So how did I manage without a laptop/tablet for five hours?

Well, pretty easy really, it's not that often I do any productivity onboard anyway. I loaded up an iPhone 6+ and Sony Xperia Z5 with a couple of box sets in case the IFE wasn't working, but mostly used the IFE. The anticipation and preparation, together with lack of clarity of where to check items for a transit flight, was far worse than not having access to the devices on the flight.

My insurance (Amex Centurion) will cover items up to a total of £5k, but a max of only £1k per item. As a response to the new regulations, they have also introduced a change to cover items that you're forced to check. Unfortunately my laptop is worth well over £1k, so I took my backup machine which works for your usual email/Office stuff, but not so much for productivity work.

navylad

I just checked with GGL line on this one, if you are traveling with any of the banned items from the countries listed, you will be required to check them however, BA will not be fully liable if they are damaged IAW condition 8f of the COC, you should therefore ensure you have sufficient travel insurance to cover any such items.

Jordan D

Somewhat ridiculous that this is the case, and moreover that DfT aren't stepping in to cover any losses - it's only because of their stupid rules that this scenario exists.

navylad

Although I can understand why this is the case, baggage handlers dont't know which bag has a laptop in it and bags can fall off belts, get wet being loaded etc., however I do agree. Ideally BA should follow the route of others and arrange for a separate way to store laptops during the flight.

T8191

Oh, dear ... "BA" and "organise" in the same sentence!

The big problem is all the other non-BA Agencies that get involved (Airport Operator, Security, Baggage Manglers). It might work in some places, but not I suspect at T5.

Howard Long

T5 isn't the problem, the regs only apply inbound from half a dozen states. The remainder of your post regarding co-ordination between BA, and governmental and contracted out agencies, is right in the money though!

There were no checks on arrival for the avoidance of doubt.

itsmeitisss

I'd put can, not, pi55up, and brewery in the same sentence as those though

BA6501

You can take the headphones out and have them in your hand baggage. You might be able to persuade the check-in agent to short-check your bag to LHR.