Check your electronics or fly American

Old Mar 21st, 2017, 06:02 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,607
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Check your electronics or fly American

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/21/u...ops-cabin.html

Honestly, what will they think of next? Either this is an attempt to help US carriers fend off Middle East airline competition or it's just plain stupid.
thursdaysd is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2017, 07:04 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,358
Received 79 Likes on 8 Posts
Several morning (and probably fake) news sources are saying it's due to a threat assessment regarding Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) who have apparently become adept at disguising bombs in electronic devices. How this would keep someone from using his/her phone to detonate a bomb packed in a bag in the cargo hold is unknown, but presumably the idea is to make it risky enough that the baddies would pick another method.

It's certainly a knife to the heart of Emirates, Qatar and Turkish Airlines, all of which have been expanding their service into the US bigly. They all depend on connecting traffic through their hubs, which means for practical purposes people will have to check their laptops all the way. These airlines depend on business travel in premium cabins, and this will probably wipe out a big chunk of that.

No US carriers have nonstop flights to/from the airports subject to the rule: AMM, IST, DOH, AUH, DXB, RUH, JED, CMN, KWI and CAI.
Gardyloo is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2017, 07:39 AM
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,607
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Wonder how this would affect code shares.

AA 7200 JFK-AMM non-stop is a code share with Royal Jordanian, but operated by Royal Jordanian.
thursdaysd is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2017, 08:59 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,482
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
This does not make any sense in this day and age, when we all need our tablets etc. all the time esp. during travel.

Seems like UK is going to follow this insane rule too.
Hope, this plan will create havoc for business travelers too, who typically use air time to work on laptops.

Can all of us travelers somehow send a message to someone to stop this crazy rule and figure out a better alternative.

Thanks for sharing.
ileen is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2017, 09:48 AM
  #5  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,607
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
UK is doing the same thing, although it applies to countries rather than airports, and not just to Middle Eastern airlines:

UK airlines will come under the ban, including British Airways, EasyJet, Jet2, Monarch, Thomas Cook and Thomson. Foreign carriers affected are Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airways, Atlas-Global Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Egyptair. Royal Jordanian, Tunis Air and Saudia.

From: https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...east-countries

Maybe there really is some specific threat, but I have a hard time seeing the threat is less if the offending gizmo is in the hold. And then there are those batteries...
thursdaysd is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2017, 10:27 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,251
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2...-ban/99447258/
julies is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2017, 10:30 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 720
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
UK has issued similar restrictions, oddly enough they don't include the likes of Dubai which is on the US list

It seems a bit widespread to be specific intelligence and putting laptops, tablets, cameras and other electronic devices into the cargo hold is a risky business - both from things disappearing and the potential for Lithium Ion batteries to explode
dotheboyshall is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2017, 11:49 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 72,549
Likes: 0
Received 50 Likes on 7 Posts
>>but I have a hard time seeing the threat is less if the offending gizmo is in the hold. And then there are those batteries…
janisj is online now  
Old Mar 21st, 2017, 12:03 PM
  #9  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,607
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
But it mostly doesn't. I was tracked down at one airport (Busan, I think) to come look at my checked bag because I had a spare battery I had completely forgotten in the bottm. But at that point I had been through eleven airports including Busan itself without a murmur.
thursdaysd is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2017, 12:27 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 720
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Given that US carriers don't fly these routes how are they going to benefit? For flights from Dubai it's going to be European airlines that benefit
dotheboyshall is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2017, 12:59 PM
  #11  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,607
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
In that case, why have US carriers been complaining about Middle East airlines?

See, e.g. http://crankyflier.com/2015/02/17/us...-do-they-know/
thursdaysd is offline  
Old Mar 23rd, 2017, 05:58 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 7,763
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
This does not make any sense in this day and age, when we all need our tablets etc. all the time esp. during travel.

Untrue.

You need none of that. Print it out like you did five years ago and bring a book.
sparkchaser is offline  
Old Mar 24th, 2017, 09:31 AM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,516
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I can do without an iPad or tablet. It does however concern me checking a camera. I would be very "sad" to have that damaged or stolen.
jules39 is offline  
Old Mar 25th, 2017, 02:45 PM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 13,617
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yes, damage and theft of electronics is a definite concern. Airlines won't guarantee the safety or security of checked luggage, so this really puts travelers in a bad spot.
november_moon is offline  
Old Mar 26th, 2017, 01:18 PM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,032
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
One simple "remedy" -- pull the memory chip before you consign a camera to the hold.
NoFlyZone is offline  
Old Mar 27th, 2017, 10:22 AM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,516
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yes you should definitely pull the memory chip. But that doesn't work for people who are just starting or in the middle of travels and could loose the camera etc.
jules39 is offline  
Old Mar 27th, 2017, 12:45 PM
  #17  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,607
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Pulling the memory chip will preserve any photos you haven't already saved, but I fail to see how it will prevent the camera being damaged or stolen.
thursdaysd is offline  
Old Mar 28th, 2017, 08:30 AM
  #18  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,516
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Agreed thursdaysd
jules39 is offline  
Old Mar 30th, 2017, 12:17 PM
  #19  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,032
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It won't prevent a theft of the camera ... but a camera can be replaced and can be insured. Photos cannot.
NoFlyZone is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
AAFlyer90
United States
6
May 18th, 2015 08:37 AM
esm
Air Travel
10
Aug 15th, 2012 06:08 PM
mjz_kc
Air Travel
7
Jun 25th, 2008 10:19 AM
CarolK
Air Travel
6
Jun 26th, 2003 01:00 PM
EC
Air Travel
1
Oct 10th, 2002 12:08 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -