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BA Handling of laptop/tablet ban

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Old Aug 9, 2017, 7:55 am
  #76  
 
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Originally Posted by Physci
Similar to DXB where there is enhanced security as you enter the gate area, including random swabbing of electronics
The annoying thing is, this extra security at the gate has happened at CAI (and some other airports in the region) for a long time, far before the laptop ban started. I've had my laptop swabbed at the gate in both T2 (BA) & T3 (MS/Egyptair) before.

If the security (on Egyptair flights) at CAI is good enough to lift the US ban, I wonder what the hold up is in the UK also lifting the ban. Clearly the UK needs to needs to verify for itself, but given the UK ban was very much driven by the US ban it seems strange we need a significant wait before the ban is lifted.
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Old Aug 9, 2017, 9:42 am
  #77  
 
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Originally Posted by KARFA
I don't understand. Why isn't this checked at airport security? Seems odd the airlines are now being asked to do security, it isn't their role.
That, my friend, is an excellent question. I always thought governments and/or airport authorities (often the same) are responsible for security. It seems, however, that the UK government wants individual airlines to assume this role at boarding gate level.
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Old Aug 9, 2017, 9:45 am
  #78  
 
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Originally Posted by itfcfan
If the security (on Egyptair flights) at CAI is good enough to lift the US ban, I wonder what the hold up is in the UK also lifting the ban. Clearly the UK needs to needs to verify for itself, but given the UK ban was very much driven by the US ban it seems strange we need a significant wait before the ban is lifted.
The suspicion I've been nursing is that the U.K. government is drawing this saga out at least in part to "show" it's not just the Americans' lapdog.
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Old Aug 9, 2017, 10:18 am
  #79  
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Originally Posted by prof
I always thought governments and/or airport authorities (often the same) are responsible for security. It seems, however, that the UK government wants individual airlines to assume this role at boarding gate level.
If they don't trust those authorities, it is an easy alternative to push it to the airlines instead.
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Old Aug 9, 2017, 10:38 am
  #80  
 
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Originally Posted by typical
If they don't trust those authorities, it is an easy alternative to push it to the airlines instead.
Well, they trust TK and RJ enough to lift the ban on them--and they are both run by the same governments in charge of security at AMM and IST, from where BA still isn't allowed cabin electronics...
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Old Aug 9, 2017, 5:05 pm
  #81  
 
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I have given up on British Airways. Looks like this going to be the new normal. Like the day the 100ml liquid restriction was introduced, they said it's just temporary.
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Old Aug 9, 2017, 5:57 pm
  #82  
 
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deleted

Last edited by NandoDave; Aug 10, 2017 at 3:15 pm
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Old Aug 10, 2017, 10:40 am
  #83  
 
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An update: Thomas Cook has now complied with the new requirements, so it's out from under the ban; BA still hasn't, so it isn't.
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Old Aug 10, 2017, 1:12 pm
  #84  
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Originally Posted by prof
An update: Thomas Cook has now complied with the new requirements, so it's out from under the ban; BA still hasn't, so it isn't.
That's only out of Turkey as far as i can see. They're still encouraging pax to check as much as they can ex-Egypt, too, beyond the electronics banned from the cabin.
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Old Sep 5, 2017, 2:37 am
  #85  
 
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Egyptair have announced the laptop ban on their flights to the UK have been lifted:
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Old Sep 5, 2017, 3:04 am
  #86  
 
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Originally Posted by itfcfan
Egyptair have announced the laptop ban on their flights to the UK have been lifted:
https://twitter.com/EGYPTAIR/status/903697328384745472
Now that's humiliating for BA.
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Old Sep 5, 2017, 4:17 am
  #87  
 
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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?
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Old Sep 11, 2017, 4:59 am
  #88  
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Does anyone have any insight as to if/when BA flights from IST-LHR will allow laptops to be carried in the cabin again?
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Old Sep 11, 2017, 5:41 am
  #89  
 
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Originally Posted by itfcfan
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?
I was told by a BA staffer at IST that the other airlines had introduced new equipment and checks on UK bound flights which meant that the UK government was willing to remove the ban. BA though had not brought the equipment.

For TK they are flying 13 flights a day to the UK with a mix of aircraft including two flights on 777s so they were always going to take it more seriously than BA who do two flights a day (three in the summer if they can be bothered).

I was also told that BA was going to have a check at IST by HMG to see if the ban could be lifted, it would seem that they failed.
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Old Sep 27, 2017, 4:46 pm
  #90  
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I see that the UK Government advice was updated a few days ago:

"Large phones, laptops and tablets now allowed in the cabin on the majority of flights to the UK from Turkey and Tunisia."

They then advise: "The vast majority of carriers operating out of Turkish airports are no longer subject to these restrictions. However, passengers should contact their airlines for advice about whether their flights are affected."

It seems that BA is still one of the exceptions

I would guess that most regular business travellers using BA to IST will have by now switched over to Turkish. I appreciate BA don't have a large number of flights to IST, but is this really the best they can do?
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