BA Handling of laptop/tablet ban
#91
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, VS Red, HH Gold, IHG Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG Basic, Alitalia Status Match
Posts: 1,171
Assuming BA eventually can let passengers take electronics back into the cabin, I will probably continue to use Turkish on this route, both for business and leisure with family.
#92
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,048
Anyone have an idea of the bigger picture here? Why are some carriers (Turkish Airlines, Egyptair and tourist charters such as Thomas Cook, etc) able to implement whatever is required to avoid the UK ban, whereas BA seem unable/unwilling to do the same? Is it down to money (i.e. some carriers are willing to pay extra security charges, while BA is not) or something else?
#93
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
Programs: BA, TK, HHonours, Le Club, Best Western Rewards
Posts: 7,067
BA has its own security assessors who are closely associated with the various security services. They are proactive and quite often make decisions that others do not follow for your safety. They stopped us flying over parts of Ukraine a few years ago and a Malaysian aircraft flying over that area was shot down. If they are keeping the laptop ban in force they have their reasons. You are free to fly with another airline if you wish but their agenda may be quite different to BA. You pay your money and you take your choice - convenience over safety. Enjoy.
BA themselves have stated a number of times that this is a British Government requirement and that it will on;y change when the British Government changes the rules.
I hope you are right, and it is a sign that BA are extra security conscious, but that is not what BA is saying.
#94
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: london
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 266
Got back yesterday from a work trip from IST. Despite BA status, I opted to fly Turkish (where I have no status), primarily to be able to keep my laptop. The prices were comparable, but Turkish also came with a 3 course hot meal in both directions in Y. While BA have the option of buying a sandwich...
Assuming BA eventually can let passengers take electronics back into the cabin, I will probably continue to use Turkish on this route, both for business and leisure with family.
Assuming BA eventually can let passengers take electronics back into the cabin, I will probably continue to use Turkish on this route, both for business and leisure with family.
#95
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: South East, UK
Programs: BA Gold / GfL, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,431
BA has its own security assessors who are closely associated with the various security services. They are proactive and quite often make decisions that others do not follow for your safety. They stopped us flying over parts of Ukraine a few years ago and a Malaysian aircraft flying over that area was shot down. If they are keeping the laptop ban in force they have their reasons. You are free to fly with another airline if you wish but their agenda may be quite different to BA. You pay your money and you take your choice - convenience over safety. Enjoy.
What you seem to be implying is that BA has made a decision not to implement the recommendations of the UK DoT because it does not believe it is safe to do so (i.e. nothing to do with the fact that BA is not prepared to pay the additional costs associated with the requirements).
I'm sorry, but it just doesn't add up. I appreciate BA does have to make regular tough decisions about flight routings and related safety, etc. But to imply that BA is better positioned to make decisions on security risks at airports compared to the DoT (which will be advised by the UK national security and international intelligence services) seems a bit far-fetched.
#96
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Aberdeenshire
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 153
BA has its own security assessors who are closely associated with the various security services. They are proactive and quite often make decisions that others do not follow for your safety. They stopped us flying over parts of Ukraine a few years ago and a Malaysian aircraft flying over that area was shot down. If they are keeping the laptop ban in force they have their reasons. You are free to fly with another airline if you wish but their agenda may be quite different to BA. You pay your money and you take your choice - convenience over safety. Enjoy.
#97
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
Programs: BA, TK, HHonours, Le Club, Best Western Rewards
Posts: 7,067
Just so we're clear, the UK DoT has removed restrictions where specific airports and airlines have implemented the required additional security measures.
What you seem to be implying is that BA has made a decision not to implement the recommendations of the UK DoT because it does not believe it is safe to do so (i.e. nothing to do with the fact that BA is not prepared to pay the additional costs associated with the requirements).
I'm sorry, but it just doesn't add up. I appreciate BA does have to make regular tough decisions about flight routings and related safety, etc. But to imply that BA is better positioned to make decisions on security risks at airports compared to the DoT (which will be advised by the UK national security and international intelligence services) seems a bit far-fetched.
What you seem to be implying is that BA has made a decision not to implement the recommendations of the UK DoT because it does not believe it is safe to do so (i.e. nothing to do with the fact that BA is not prepared to pay the additional costs associated with the requirements).
I'm sorry, but it just doesn't add up. I appreciate BA does have to make regular tough decisions about flight routings and related safety, etc. But to imply that BA is better positioned to make decisions on security risks at airports compared to the DoT (which will be advised by the UK national security and international intelligence services) seems a bit far-fetched.
#98
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,048
#99
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Aberdeenshire
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 153
Reading your reply to the question that was asked about why BA still have the laptop ban in place, All you talk about is BA security and how they may have made the decision to keep the ban in place for our safety.
Not really relevant if they have not been given permission from the government in the first place.
This was my reason for the question.
#100
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 134
I booked BA IST-LHR on the understanding that when low-cost and charter airlines were announcing that they had implemented the extra measures to satisfy the DoT, BA would surely follow. I found this thread searching for an update. It appears IAG is 'cheaper' than low-cost and have taken a policy decision not to pay for the extra measures demanded.
There is not much remaining of a once-great airline.
There is not much remaining of a once-great airline.
#101
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,085
I booked BA IST-LHR on the understanding that when low-cost and charter airlines were announcing that they had implemented the extra measures to satisfy the DoT, BA would surely follow. I found this thread searching for an update. It appears IAG is 'cheaper' than low-cost and have taken a policy decision not to pay for the extra measures demanded.
There is not much remaining of a once-great airline.
There is not much remaining of a once-great airline.
It's all a blessed nuisance and maybe it is here to stay - like the liquid and gels. Why not blame the real culprits and that is the people who would detonate a device on a civilian aircraft carrying innocent people? I do.
#102
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
Programs: BA, TK, HHonours, Le Club, Best Western Rewards
Posts: 7,067
You have some right points but I think this is Political rather than Security
I base this premise on the following
1. No airliner has been brought down by a bomb in the cabin, while several have been through bombs in the hold
2. There is a very real threat from batteries in the hold where if they catch fire the fire cannot be dealt with
3. A terrorist capable of building a bomb invisible to x-ray machines is capable also of driving to an airport where electronics are allowed in the cabin
4. No other government thinks there is the intelligence to support such a move
I base this premise on the following
1. No airliner has been brought down by a bomb in the cabin, while several have been through bombs in the hold
2. There is a very real threat from batteries in the hold where if they catch fire the fire cannot be dealt with
3. A terrorist capable of building a bomb invisible to x-ray machines is capable also of driving to an airport where electronics are allowed in the cabin
4. No other government thinks there is the intelligence to support such a move
#103
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,703
You have some right points but I think this is Political rather than Security
I base this premise on the following
1. No airliner has been brought down by a bomb in the cabin, while several have been through bombs in the hold
2. There is a very real threat from batteries in the hold where if they catch fire the fire cannot be dealt with
3. A terrorist capable of building a bomb invisible to x-ray machines is capable also of driving to an airport where electronics are allowed in the cabin
4. No other government thinks there is the intelligence to support such a move
I base this premise on the following
1. No airliner has been brought down by a bomb in the cabin, while several have been through bombs in the hold
2. There is a very real threat from batteries in the hold where if they catch fire the fire cannot be dealt with
3. A terrorist capable of building a bomb invisible to x-ray machines is capable also of driving to an airport where electronics are allowed in the cabin
4. No other government thinks there is the intelligence to support such a move
#104
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 134
Still a great deal of harm could be done with a glass bottle on sale from duty free. When the security measures benefit the airports and airlines - e.g. the liquids restrictions, they are very keen to implement them. When they may hurt sales, e.g. glass bottles in duty free, they are non-existant. I would not say the airlines and airports are in league with terrorists but they certainly financially benefit from the threat, real or perceived, from them.
It is the moral equivalence of having signs before security saying, "Terrorists, no bombs past this point!", then on the airside, "Terrorists, buy bombs at 20% off!". Back to lithium batteries, they do already.
Cynical.