Got a tip for us?
Let us know
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]
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Spare me the surprise (or lack thereof), and study some facts instead.
US airlines have been beaten off the park in terms of service, comfort and quality - precisely because they are notoriously awful in all of those departments - by the Middle Eastern airlines and when you can invoke security as a justification for changing the regulations, the need to defend yourself against charges of unfair trade practices doesn't arise.
Here, the challenge is to try make life a lot more uncomfortable and miserable and inconvenient for anyone - especially business class passengers - who insists on flying with airlines that prefer not to treat their customer base like cattle.
Well yeah, and I would imagine this setup would also stop all terrorists planning to do something with a laptop from bothering to try to travel from those airports so... I guess this ban will expand to the next most likely points of departure? and the next...?
I've no better idea but this is a pain in the neck for biz travelers for sure. Anyway if you check a laptop with something bad inside it, how is it better when the thing goes off in the cargo hold?
One of these days we'll figure out that we'll all have to have implanted chips that put data projections onto the lenses of sunglasses serving as display surface. So much for the excitement of new thinner laptops and curved smartphone displays. The bad guys have become a more than tedious annoyance travel-wise, but maybe they'll spur new innovations in computing. Stuff that will actually defeat the bad guys.
Of course then we'll have to worry about what if the security dudes zap the wrong guy's chip installation...
Ugh. I'm going back to my jazz picks and my book!
Knew I was right to keep my iPod touch. Podcasts and Audiobooks. Battery lasts ages with screen and wifi off.
And I have my iPod classic, battery lasts for ages, too, and my music library is.....capacious an dwell stocked (almost 100GB at last count).
However, I will still argue that this is no more than an attempt to stymie some of the Middle Eastern airlines and give the dreadful American aviation industry a competitive advantage under the cunning cloak of security which is something most peek won't question lest they be accused of being less than patriotic.
Australia announced additional random checks for some flights from the Middle East instead of a ban.
Remember that Qantas and Emirates are partners.
European Aviation Safety Agency warning:
http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-n...-warns-dangers-electronic-devices-cargo-holds
http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-n...-warns-dangers-electronic-devices-cargo-holds
Is your sensitive information not stored on an encrypted hard drive that only you can unlock?
Well, it looks like you can add in all the airports in Europe to the paranoia. This will make flights hell and I cannot even imagine the claims for destroyed laptops the airlines will face. This is stupidity on a whole new level.
http://thehill.com/policy/transport...ops-on-all-inbound-flights-from-europe-report
http://thehill.com/policy/transport...ops-on-all-inbound-flights-from-europe-report
What about people who simply pack one bag? Do they take their bag onboard and hand off their laptop to TSA and just trust that they won't destroy (or steal) it? Or do they hand off their bag and in their hands then carry their phone, notebook, book, power cord, medication, toiletries, and a spare change of underwear just in case luggage gets lost?
As I understand it, you will be required to check the bag if it contains a laptop or, possibly, a tablet. You will have no choice in the matter. It's really a massive annoyance for people like my wife who travel to Europe for business and usually only carry one bag. She's very unhappy with this nonsense.