The BBC report seems to suggest that only 9 as yet unnamed airlines flying from a specified list of 10 airports will be affected?

US to ban laptops and tablets on flights from eight countries - BBC News

I don't understand the logic. An electronic device going bang in the hold is going to be just as damaging as if it goes off in the cabin.

Suddenly there is a yuge market for ipad-sized phones in middle east.

It's already implemented on PIA. They have to stop off in Europe for re-screening on the way to the US.

So terrorists don't fly US airlines, or on connecting flights.

Is this a reasonable security measure or a poorly disguised economic restriction?

It will be interesting to see if this is this is airline or country specific. It is a farce either way, and just another example of security theater. As ExXB stated, what is stopping would be terrorists from connecting through Europe or Asia?

BBC now listing the airports and airlines here:
Electronics banned on some US flights from Middle East - BBC News


So my question is: Is there separate screening for American airline flights from these airports or do the respective airport authorities/contractors do it for all flights?


If all bags are subject to the same screening then the conspiracy theories regarding anti-competitive practices will snowball.

And my question is: Is the screening of hold baggage at these airports as least as good (or even better than) screening of hand baggage?

If not this is pointless.

Surely a bad guy trying to get a disguised bomb on board is more likely to be a bit twitchy if the device is still with him at screening. Putting it in a checked bag may give him an easier ride through security and less chance of being detected.

And don't forget that's possible to link devices between the little pax cellphone and the laptop at the cargo hold. Again, throwing sand in everyone's eyes.

Apparently it also applies to pax transiting these airports to the US.

Although with this language it wouldn't apply to 5th freedom flights that transit Europe. So flights DXB-MIL-JFK, etc, aren't caught.

IMHO a poorly disguised economic restriction against 10 airlines. Nothing else makes sense. Perhaps the 10 airports will implement a blanket restriction on all direct (and indirect) flights to the US. That would be reasonable.

We have a company ban on any laptops travelling in checked baggage for (perceived) security issues. I suspect we are not alone so this must have an economic impact on the effected carriers.

Same with Kuwait, though (stops in Shannon), but KWI was still put on the airport ban list.

Wonder how it will affect crew. My airlines one of the mentioned, has nice shiny new iPads for crew and I know many cabin crew use them in their duties. At the moment crew get no exemptions from other TSA restrictions so should be a bonus for Jepp and Liddo chart printers. 😉

See this Washington Post article for a clear view about how this action may be retaliation against the ME3. Banning tablets and laptops from the cabin will essentially kill off all of their business class traffic. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.18f5beeb6f68

For sure, the premium traffic will really suffer

Delta had one happen in 2016. Caught fire in a business class overhead bin. Crew was able to use the new containment bag to put it out.

This action creates a significant safety issue. No, a huge safety issue. Fires originating from lithium batteries in aircraft cabins lead to cabin crew using effective methods (applied quickly) to extinguish them. The fact that these types of fires are A. so dangerous, and B. still occurring, is the reason ICAO and EASA moved to restrict / ban such electronics in cargo -- those types of fires in cargo holds CANNOT be efficiently attacked in flight.

With this insane order I can no longer fly to / from any of those airports on any of those carriers. Why? Because I need my laptop for the work I do in those places (the UAE for example, where I work regularly) and I WILL NOT fly on an aircraft that has a hold full of identified fire hazards waiting to spontaneously combust in a location where the fire cannot be suppressed. And daily there are many thousands of people in the same situation as me. Absolute insanity.

I am hopeful that immediate backlash from ICAO, EASA, IATA, etc. will lead to a retraction of this deranged order.

Full article: Emirates says U.S. electronics restrictions to last months | Reuters

It apears the ban is much wider.

Electronic devices ban on some UK-bound flights

How will this affect transit airlines from the Far East such as Emirates?

Business and first will suffer.

Well, it would appear there's more to it than meets the eye, and not Trump/racism/protectionism that those afflicted with leftism were claiming. There must be something in it.

A bomb in the device WILL go off. A LiOn battery MAY go off. It's all about risk assessments I suppose. And we all know people ignore advice and stick laptops and the like in suitcases. Passengers have paid very little attention to anything safety related.

It makes me wonder who was the target flight(s).