TheBOSman

The cognitive burden of scanning all PEDs is just too much.

SNA_Flyer

There are solutions to screen for explosive compounds (both liquid and solid) at the checkpoint. But they are expensive (CT technology that is used in checked luggage screening) or time consuming (trace detection). So the <deleted> in charge would rather institute an outright ban. Thing is, it doesn't go along with their normal thought process of just lighting a bunch of money on fire in the TSA HQ parking lot.

greggarious

Any word on max height / width restrictions?

I was thinking of upgrading my iPhone. Normally I get the smaller, non-"phablet" version, but if tablets will be banned I'll probably snag the largest smartphone possible to be my in flight entertainment system.

(Both Netflix and Prime video now allow you to download movies to your device and view offline, it's very handy - I actually look forward to long flights now to catch up on my movies/shows )

TheBOSman

U.S. likely to expand airline laptop ban to Europe: government officials - Reuters

McCoy

Announcement coming tomorrow.
Multiple EU departure airports, including UK.
Short notice for commencement.
No estimated end-date.

sbrower

Assuming this is accurate, does that mean that they have now solved the LiOn issue? Or will they actually announce that computers cannot be transported on aircraft in any form?

swiftaw

If they announce tomorrow, when will the ban take effect? Immediately? A few days?

I have a flight back to the US from Europe tomorrow and I really don't want to check my laptop. (I wasn't planning on checking any bags).

bookeew

I have to admit, given that there seems to be an emphasis on "multiple EU departure airports":

Is this going to be all airports in some countries? Or only some airports in some countries, if so which ones? LCC "hubs"? Airports with 5th freedom flights by ME3 (Athens/Milan/etc.)?

McCoy

@swiftaw

A few days

lobo411

The GOP cut the number of authorized TSA screeners even though the number of travelers has skyrocketed. Everybody wants government, nobody wants to pay for it.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/...icle-1.2662440

ty97

Have any US airlines done this for Europe? I know some AA planes only have drop down entertainment screens in the cabin, but I thought the streaming wifi was mostly a domestic convention? (not sure here though)

MSY-MSP

This is consistent with some things I have heard and observed recently. Flying out of MSP last Friday and getting a random beep at pre-check, I had to wait for over 5 minutes for an agent to come over and perform the secondary. I thought it was for the regular pre-check random of you. However, the secondary wasn't of me but it was every one of my electronic devices, and when I mean ever electronic device I mean every device. If it had a battery it was tested. They tested my mouse, my laptop, my cell phones, my tablet, my razor, my watch, as well as every charging block I had. While they were doing this the agent, a supervisor 3 stripe and someone in a suit, said that this was most likely going to become a regular occurrence for domestic flights, but that for international flights electronics were going to be limited. The whole screening process took about 10 extra minutes, but it was definitely slow and annoying.

The other thing that I have heard through another source (works in a government agency and was right about some other things on the first ban), and this goes with the rumor of expanded bans to the US from Europe, is that the ban will be on all flights to the US. However, the ban will likely vary by airport, some airports will be a complete ban of electronics larger than a cell phone, while others will require random screening of electronics at the gate. Further, passengers will be limited in the overall number of electronics they will be permitted to bring with them either checked or carry on. This likely will be limited to one cellular device (cell phone) and one non-cellular electronic device (e.g. laptop). Medical devices will no longer be exempt from the cabin ban. My guess is that this will be based on the particular airport’s security procedures in place for US flights. They indicated that one idea floated was a complete ban of electronics from aircraft, both checked and carried.

The other thing that was mentioned is that electronics that are checked will have to go through an advanced screening technology used for checked luggage to be carried in the aircraft hold. Airlines will no longer be permitted to collect the items at the gate and then carry them on-board the aircraft, unless they have been scanned using the checked luggage screening process. (Basically, you have to have it in your checked luggage). Further, all checked luggage will be required to be screened or rescreened just prior to being loaded on aircraft bound for the US. Presumably this means prior to getting loaded into the LD bins for the plane. However, it could mean something else.

Part of me thinks that the real requirement is 100% scanning of all electronics carried into the cabin on all flights to the US. However, the logistics of implementing this are crazy, so they are going with a limitation of the number of items to minimize the overall procedural impact of the implementation. I also wonder if some of the total number of items is based upon potential risk of the batteries in the hold. However, if what I have heard is even remotely close to what comes to be, then this pretty much will kill all business travel and likely most international travel.

Again the above is informed rumor, not fact, but the source has been relatively accurate in the past.

chollie

The number of pax has increased, but the number of Pre-eligible pax has skyrocketed. The major airlines have caved and bought multi-million dollar new checkpoint xray belts to reduce the need for manpower - and the pax are paying for these new 'enhancements' that reduce TSA's workload without reducing the number of TSOs or improving the pax throughput..

Just those two changes should have resulted in less manpower at the checkpoint. Pre people shouldn't be getting crotch rubs and bag swabs as often as regular grunts and because so many pax have undergone background checks, more manpower should be spent on actual intel than on thinking up new ways to amuse checkpoint screeners who would otherwise be standing around doing nothing: check snacks, check paper, meet quotas for groin rubs, etc.

The checkpoint experience is no longer about identifying threats to aviation security; it's all about passing the red team tests and getting huge bonuses.

MSPeconomist

Then we'd have to ban the TSA since they won't have anything to do if no one travels by air.

TWA884

Reminder!

The topic of this thread is a possible "Electronic Devices Ban on flights from Europe to the US."

It is not about TSA staffing and the number of authorized screeners.

Please stay on topic!
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator