Lap top and tablet ban
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Not sure which came first, the chicken or the egg - but the original story I saw was in the Daily Beast.
DHS said in a statement to The Daily Beast: “No final decisions have been made on expanding the restriction on large electronic devices in aircraft cabins; however, it is under consideration. DHS continues to evaluate the threat environment and will make changes when necessary to keep air travelers safe.”
Almost the entire 'article' was dedicated to the safety risks of Li-ion batteries in the cargo holds.
Of course, no 'news' organization such as Reuters would think of capitalizing on other news leads, whether fact-checked or not
DHS said in a statement to The Daily Beast: “No final decisions have been made on expanding the restriction on large electronic devices in aircraft cabins; however, it is under consideration. DHS continues to evaluate the threat environment and will make changes when necessary to keep air travelers safe.”
Almost the entire 'article' was dedicated to the safety risks of Li-ion batteries in the cargo holds.
Of course, no 'news' organization such as Reuters would think of capitalizing on other news leads, whether fact-checked or not

U.S. to Ban Laptops in All Cabins of Flights From Europe, Officials Say
Now the Daily Mail
Britons travelling to US could be hit by laptop ban | Daily Mail Online
Now the Daily Mail
Britons travelling to US could be hit by laptop ban | Daily Mail Online
Last edited by crewmeal; 11th May 2017 at 06:21.
This ban if it includes photographic equipment will seriously hurt the tourism industry. (how many European visitors does the USA get each year and how many Americans visit Europe) I regularly visit the EAA Oshkosh event (had over 2300 international visitors in 2016 and many will have expensive camera gear) but if I am forced to risk my equipment into the loving care of checked baggage then I am having doubts about future trips. Airlines always say never to put valuables into checked luggage and insurance would not cover this either. So what steps will be taken to guarantee that it would not get lost / damaged or stolen?
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The US rule will eventually be a blanket ban, there's no way it could be otherwise. How can airlines then justify charging a fee for checking a bag when passengers are effectively now being mandated that they do so? It's a rhetorical question of course but life is about to become a hell of a lot more expensive and difficult for commuters such as myself. The liquids ban you can live with and is a minor inconvenience but this? This is existential, no two ways about it, it will involve missed flights because of the extra time consumption of checking a bag. All for some window dressing and security theatre. It makes my blood boil.
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A partial solution for this would be the innovation of things like Ipads to be made even more of tempered glass than they are now. If security inspectors can see right through it, and see the internal components, it will be much easier to be confident it has not been tampered. A new breed of Ipad type devices and hopefully notebook computers too, which are tamper proof and transparent to a large degree.
This, of course will not satisfy all concerns, but perhaps some.
I agree that this is window dressing, and long after we continue to suffer these massive and useless inconveniences, the terrorists will have found other innovative ways to create a threat. In anticipation of inconvenience later this summer, I have brought, and will leave, and old notebook computer here in Europe, so if, on my next Atlantic crossing, they're banned, I'll have one here already. It is the airlines who will suffer, and then we passengers, as the increased costs for compliance are passed down.
What a ridiculous situation, I now look fondly upon my airline days back in the '80's, when it was a much more kind, and gentle industry....
This, of course will not satisfy all concerns, but perhaps some.
I agree that this is window dressing, and long after we continue to suffer these massive and useless inconveniences, the terrorists will have found other innovative ways to create a threat. In anticipation of inconvenience later this summer, I have brought, and will leave, and old notebook computer here in Europe, so if, on my next Atlantic crossing, they're banned, I'll have one here already. It is the airlines who will suffer, and then we passengers, as the increased costs for compliance are passed down.
What a ridiculous situation, I now look fondly upon my airline days back in the '80's, when it was a much more kind, and gentle industry....
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A partial solution for this would be the innovation of things like Ipads to be made even more of tempered glass than they are now. If security inspectors can see right through it, and see the internal components, it will be much easier to be confident it has not been tampered.
Also, confining devices to the hold only makes sense if the perceived threat is not from an explosive in the classical sense, but instead from a method of using the devices as they are, and somehow tamper with them in flight.

Does the idea of loading possibly hundreds of lithium-ion batteries into the hold not contravene the regulations banning the bulk carriage of such batteries in passenger aircraft?
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There is only one solution, namely, a blanket ban on all batteries in checked baggage. This means that people travelling with laptops would not be able to take batteries for them. A benefit of this would be that electronics in the hold could not be left on to communicate with a smartphone in the cabin... surely it is obvious that a bomb-equipped computer in the hold can communicate with a device in the cabin!
I think that a permanent complete ban will quickly lead to improvement of cellphones to act as full-blown computers, with improvement of their operating systems and applications. Airlines could also modify seat back displays to connect with PDA/cellphones, so that the entire phone screen can then be used as a keyboard.
This rather silly ban may act as a stimulus for technological innovation, forcing the "convergence" of smartphone and PC technology, which recently has been dropped or delayed by the likes of Canonical and Microsoft.
I think that a permanent complete ban will quickly lead to improvement of cellphones to act as full-blown computers, with improvement of their operating systems and applications. Airlines could also modify seat back displays to connect with PDA/cellphones, so that the entire phone screen can then be used as a keyboard.
This rather silly ban may act as a stimulus for technological innovation, forcing the "convergence" of smartphone and PC technology, which recently has been dropped or delayed by the likes of Canonical and Microsoft.
Well the idiocy of this sort of thing goes back to the pre 9-11 days in the US when they security checked international flights and not domestic ones and paid a terribly terribly heavy price for that self centred stupidity.
In this case loads of LI batteries in checked baggage all of varying ages charge states minor damge etc etc seems horrendous even before we get to the issues of peopel not travelling without electronic tools or toys or both.
If there is a real and present threat then be up front and say dont bring your laptop because we will take it to pieces and make it a temporary arrangement. However with things as they are in Washington anything sane r sensible is pretty unlikely .
It would inconvenience me but its up to my company to solve it i either go without the laptop or stay home and VC the meeting just have to make a judgment what you do each trip
In this case loads of LI batteries in checked baggage all of varying ages charge states minor damge etc etc seems horrendous even before we get to the issues of peopel not travelling without electronic tools or toys or both.
If there is a real and present threat then be up front and say dont bring your laptop because we will take it to pieces and make it a temporary arrangement. However with things as they are in Washington anything sane r sensible is pretty unlikely .
It would inconvenience me but its up to my company to solve it i either go without the laptop or stay home and VC the meeting just have to make a judgment what you do each trip
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There is only one solution, namely, a blanket ban on all batteries in checked baggage. This means that people travelling with laptops would not be able to take batteries for them.
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Maybe not so nonsensical after all...

I've been going to the US regularly for more than 30 years (my lovely wife is American). The embuggeration factor has got progressively worse.
Already, I don't do body scans - it's not that I'm the slightest bit bothered at people checking my bits out, it's just a step too far in the reduction of human dignity.
Now, if they're going to make me put my laptop in the hold, I'm just not going.
Already, I don't do body scans - it's not that I'm the slightest bit bothered at people checking my bits out, it's just a step too far in the reduction of human dignity.
Now, if they're going to make me put my laptop in the hold, I'm just not going.
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More "flying batteries" to come
"Describing the suitcase as packed with technology, NEXT said it will send an alert to its owner's smart phone when the suitcase arrives on the conveyor belt, and an alarm if anyone tries to run away with it. NEXT added that the suitcase set for introduction has a GPS-tracking, a built in scale that gives exact weight, ability to charge a smart phone seven times and a blue tooth speakerphone."
NEXT Biometrics Customer to Debut World's Most Advanced Suitcase With Fingerprint Sensor for Secure Locking and Unlocking
"Describing the suitcase as packed with technology, NEXT said it will send an alert to its owner's smart phone when the suitcase arrives on the conveyor belt, and an alarm if anyone tries to run away with it. NEXT added that the suitcase set for introduction has a GPS-tracking, a built in scale that gives exact weight, ability to charge a smart phone seven times and a blue tooth speakerphone."
NEXT Biometrics Customer to Debut World's Most Advanced Suitcase With Fingerprint Sensor for Secure Locking and Unlocking
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All for some window dressing and security theatre. It makes my blood boil.
The only real benefit is that it seems to have stopped them hijacking aircraft to take their Grandmother back to Cuba, which started all this security nonsense in the late '60's.