Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

U.S. Bans Tablets and Laptops on Flights From Eight Middle Eastern Countries [Update: U.K. Plans Similar Ban]

69Mustang said:
Neither you nor marine0816 have an explanation how laptops and tablets in checked baggage makes a plane more secure.
Click to expand...

I am not an expert on bombs etc, and I do not have the intelligence that DHS might have. The same goes for you. It might be safer simply because they know how the device will be denotated, and in this case detonation can't be done by remote.
It might be safer because this might send a message that stops the terrorists from actually boarding the plane.
 
DTphonehome said:
As a Marine, please explain how having these bomb-packed devices in the cargo hold makes anyone safer.
Click to expand...

ibookg409 said:
This one confuses me. I can't see the safety benefits.
Click to expand...

Here is a theory. The US owned airlines have been losing money as the middle eastern airlines provide better planes and excellent service. This move is to inconvenience the passengers so much that they don't travel through these airports.

The reason you cannot/should not have batteries (larger) in the cargo hold is because they could catch fire and there would be no one there to tend to the fire. Remember how airlines always ask you if you have any lithium ion batteries in your checkin luggage. This order goes completely against that safe guard and makes airline travel riskier.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oblivious.Robot, Klososky and Scepticalscribe
JGRE said:
They usually are aloud to play a bit more with explosive then you and I........
Click to expand...

Not really. Certainly I doubt they have expertise relating to this matter.
[doublepost=1490100914][/doublepost]
marine0816 said:
There is a real world out there, alot of snowflakes, sheep etc.. don't understand the dangers and experience that a OIF, OEF US Veteran would have. While Americans are worrying about their lattes and their iPhone 8, people are trying to kill you everyday.
Click to expand...

Lol. So what does that have to do with airplanes and electronic devices? Being a marine doesn't all of a sudden make you an expert.
[doublepost=1490100947][/doublepost]
DTphonehome said:
[doublepost=1490096784][/doublepost]
I assume that someone with military credentials understands threat assessment.
Click to expand...

That's a poor assumption.
 
69Mustang said:
Neither you nor marine0816 have an explanation how laptops and tablets in checked baggage makes a plane more secure. marine0816 clumsily tried with: "You can more easily manipulate the device if you have easier access to it." That's cartoon logic. Correct me if I'm wrong, but a bunch of laptop and tablet batteries in a condensed and confined space poses a greater threat than laptops and tablets spread haphazardly throughout the cabin... unless, you know, every laptop and tablet was a bomb (shout out to bad TV plots), then all bets are off. But seriously, I find it hard to defend the logic that this is somehow safer. Even from a standpoint of accident prevention, gathering a bunch of Li-ion batteries together is stupid and reckless.
Click to expand...

I have a theory and I hope my posts merge so that I don't have to repost.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scepticalscribe
I never claimed any expertise for you nor me. I'm asking your opinion regarding how this is supposedly safer somehow.
yaxomoxay said:
I am not an expert on bombs etc, and I do not have the intelligence that DHS might have. The same goes for you. It might be safer simply because they know how the device will be denotated, and in this case detonation can't be done by remote.
Click to expand...
This literally makes no sense. Not only from a practicality standpoint, but from a realistic standpoint as well. Timer. Done.

yaxomoxay said:
It might be safer because this might send a message that stops the terrorists from actually boarding the plane.
Click to expand...
Safer how? Wouldn't it be pretty easy to go to another airport where the prohibition isn't in effect? I mean, this proclamation specifically tells the hypothetical terrorist where not to go.

Also, you still never answered how storing a bunch of batteries in a confined space is somehow safer.
 
  • Like
Reactions: arkitect
Absolutely ridiculous. I work in Qatar and go back home to the states in the summers. Its a 14 hour flight and my iPad is the only thing that keeps me sane. Movie selection in the plane isnt always great.

My biggest concern about packing my $1800 MacBook pro and iPad pro is it getting stolen. Baggage handlers are now going to be targeting bags with tags to the US to steal from.

Also its not very safe storing lithium ion batteries in the luggage compartment. Its not pressurized like the cabin.

Also wtf is an iPhone allowed but not a kindle? iPhone are like mini computers and a kindle runs slightly better than a calculator.
 
  • Like
Reactions: arkitect and Scepticalscribe
yaxomoxay said:
I am not an expert on bombs etc, and I do not have the intelligence that DHS might have. The same goes for you. It might be safer simply because they know how the device will be denotated, and in this case detonation can't be done by remote.
It might be safer because this might send a message that stops the terrorists from actually boarding the plane.
Click to expand...

The terrorist will now just fly out of an airport that isnt on the electronic banned list.

Makes no sense.
 
  • Like
Reactions: arkitect and 69Mustang
69Mustang said:
This literally makes no sense. Not only from a practicality standpoint, but from a realistic standpoint as well. Timer. Done.
Click to expand...

A timer is much more difficult to implement and requires more parts than using the home button (for example). Doable? yes, but it's much easier to spot etc. And again, yes in the future they might implement a timer, but this might derail a plan that is already in motion, causing noise etc. in the terrorist community.

Safer how? Wouldn't it be pretty easy to go to another airport where the prohibition isn't in effect? I mean, this proclamation specifically tells the hypothetical terrorist where not to go.
Click to expand...

In all seriousness, I think it would depend on the quality of the intelligence they have. Certainly if one cancels a flight just to board another flight that goes through another airport there will be a red flag (I would hope so, at least). Only the most idiot of terrorists will carry on a plan that has been publicly busted by DHS.


Also, you still never answered how storing a bunch of batteries in a confined space is somehow safer.
Click to expand...

In theory, it might not be "safer", but if we look at real-world history we can count many planes that crashed/exploded due to human intervention, many more that were at high-risk due to human intervention (including the shoe bomber), and more that were targeted but the plan failed. I think that there was only one crash because of batteries, and it was a cargo carrying thousands of batteries.
So while I agree that storing a bunch of batteries ain't the sharpest idea in the world - at least in theory - IF the intelligence is good enough it might be a good way to patch a much more pressing and urgent issue. Sometimes you can't just kick the can down the road.
[doublepost=1490102347][/doublepost]
nia820 said:
The terrorist will now just fly out of an airport that isnt on the electronic banned list.

Makes no sense.
Click to expand...

And considering that the US already has all the info about all the travelers that planned to come to the US, he/she will be flagged the moment he/she tries to board the next plane.
 
  • Like
Reactions: webbuzz
I think this electronic ban is going to increase the risk of explosion. But not from a terrorist. It will be from a faulty battery in someone's laptop or from a cheapo tablet.
 
  • Like
Reactions: arkitect and Scepticalscribe
yaxomoxay said:
A timer is much more difficult to implement and requires more parts than using the home button (for example). Doable? yes, but it's much easier to spot etc. And again, yes in the future they might implement a timer, but this might derail a plan that is already in motion, causing noise etc. in the terrorist community.



In all seriousness, I think it would depend on the quality of the intelligence they have. Certainly if one cancels a flight just to board another flight that goes through another airport there will be a red flag (I would hope so, at least). Only the most idiot of terrorists will carry on a plan that has been publicly busted by DHS.




In theory, it might not be "safer", but if we look at real-world history we can count many planes that crashed/exploded due to human intervention, many more that were at high-risk due to human intervention (including the shoe bomber), and more that were targeted but the plan failed. I think that there was only one crash because of batteries, and it was a cargo carrying thousands of batteries.
So while I agree that storing a bunch of batteries ain't the sharpest idea in the world - at least in theory - IF the intelligence is good enough it might be a good way to patch a much more pressing and urgent issue. Sometimes you can't just kick the can down the road.
[doublepost=1490102347][/doublepost]

And considering that the US already has all the info about all the travelers that planned to come to the US, he/she will be flagged the moment he/she tries to board the next plane.
Click to expand...

Terrorist have a whole network. They could easily find some other idiot to be a Martyr for them.

You're assuming they know who these people are. If they knew who they are, they'd be arrested.

The ban is unnecessary. iPhones do the exact same thing as an iPad. If they were really concerned about safety they'd ban smartphones as well. Smartphones run faster and can complete more task than many tablets.

Its another BS ban by our lovely new administration.
 
  • Like
Reactions: arkitect and Scepticalscribe
yaxomoxay said:
A timer is much more difficult to implement and requires more parts than using the home button (for example).
Click to expand...
Every laptop can easily be programmed to do anything it is capable of in a timed manner. No need for any implementations other than software.
 
  • Like
Reactions: arkitect
nia820 said:
Terrorist have a whole network. They could easily find some other idiot to be a Martyr for them.

You're assuming they know who these people are. If they knew who they are, they'd be arrested.

The ban is unnecessary. iPhones do the exact same thing as an iPad. If they were really concerned about safety they'd ban smartphones as well. Smartphones run faster and can complete more task than many tablets.

Its another BS ban by our lovely new administration.
Click to expand...
The US can't necessarily arrest a foreign national on foreign soil. This could be a measure to prevent an immediate threat. Who knows.
 
  • Like
Reactions: webbuzz and yaxomoxay
nia820 said:
Terrorist have a whole network. They could easily find some other idiot to be a Martyr for them.

You're assuming they know who these people are. If they knew who they are, they'd be arrested.

The ban is unnecessary. iPhones do the exact same thing as an iPad. If they were really concerned about safety they'd ban smartphones as well. Smartphones run faster and can complete more task than many tablets.

Its another BS ban by our lovely new administration.
Click to expand...

Again, it depends on the intelligence they gathered. If it's "somebody bought a laptop", then yeah it's BS.
If it's something more serious - as I suspect - then there is rationale behind it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: webbuzz
kstotlani said:
Here is a theory. The US owned airlines have been losing money as the middle eastern airlines provide better planes and excellent service. This move is to inconvenience the passengers so much that they don't travel through these airports.

The reason you cannot/should not have batteries (larger) in the cargo hold is because they could catch fire and there would be no one there to tend to the fire. Remember how airlines always ask you if you have any lithium ion batteries in your checkin luggage. This order goes completely against that safe guard and makes airline travel riskier.
Click to expand...

Actually, this post makes complete sense to me - and I agree with you in that I would see it as an attempt to strangle competition under the plausibly argued guise of a security threat.

Well said.


nia820 said:
Absolutely ridiculous. I work in Qatar and go back home to the states in the summers. Its a 14 hour flight and my iPad is the only thing that keeps me sane. Movie selection in the plane isnt always great.

My biggest concern about packing my $1800 MacBook pro and iPad pro is it getting stolen. Baggage handlers are now going to be targeting bags with tags to the US to steal from.

Also its not very safe storing lithium ion batteries in the luggage compartment. Its not pressurized like the cabin.

Also wtf is an iPhone allowed but not a kindle? iPhone are like mini computers and a kindle runs slightly better than a calculator.
Click to expand...

Again, an excellent post.
 
  • Like
Reactions: arkitect
ibookg409 said:
The US can't necessarily arrest a foreign national on foreign soil. This could be a measure to prevent an immediate threat. Who knows.
Click to expand...

US can ask those government authorities to make an arrest or investigate it themselves. Most of those countries have good relations with the US.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Actually, this post makes complete sense to me - and I agree with you in that I would see it as an attempt to strangle competition under the plausibly argued guise of a security threat.

Well said.
Click to expand...
No, it isn't well said. It is a silly conspiracy theory.
 
  • Like
Reactions: yaxomoxay
nia820 said:
US can ask those government authorities to make an arrest or investigate it themselves. Most of those countries have good relations with the US.
Click to expand...

This implies that the terrorist's precise location is known. It took France several days to find the mastermind of the brutal attacks, and the whole nation was looking for him. It took a week to find the Berlin's truck attack terrorist, and the whole continent was looking for him... and he was found in Italy by a cop that made a mistake.
 
  • Like
Reactions: marine0816
macsmurf said:
So what's the thing they use for carry on and how is a CT scanner any better at detecting explosives within an aluminium macbook, for example?
Click to expand...
For the same reason that your doctor may want a CT image (CAT scan) instead of the much simpler, faster, and cheaper X-ray image: the magic fairies in the CT machine can give a better image than the magic fairies in the X-ray machine :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: webbuzz and yaxomoxay
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back