mmouse, I have no sage advice. Just wanted to say that I just now posted a thread on our possible, upcoming first visit to Barcelona. Have you ever been there? Paris sounds like a good contrast to Spain.

Be sure to write a trip report, please.

I hope the electronics ban won't be too much an inconvenience. I will really miss my iPad on the planes, too.

Oops-- my mistake.

I just found this on Flyer Talk... some good news for a change: The US and EU have rejected extending the laptop ban.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39956968

So far so good. "Other measures are still being considered". Seems we were saved by the lithium battery fire hazard. Perhaps it would be too complicated to require their removal, and you can't take them out of iPads in any case.

So the DHS and EU officials met in Washington, just one day after the Manchester bombing.

Nothing new to announce but the DHS spokesman said that DHS secretary is "likely" to expand the ban and that it's not a "negotiation," suggesting that the DHS thinks it can unilaterally impose the ban, whether or not the EU agrees or protests.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...-idUSKBN18K2AP

It's believed that the EU are balking because they don't want lithium battery devices in the cargo hold.

Will there be a standoff?

Getting interesting. The US government can't control what other countries' airports do. I suppose they could deny landing privileges, but I don't think shutting down trans-Atlantic traffic would go over well.

John Kelly has been making the rounds with media and members of Congress, saying he's still considering expanding the ban.

Now there's talk that flights leaving the US would also be subject to an expanded ban but still nothing about doing it for domestic flights.

Meanwhile, the manufacturers of these airport scanners say their newest machines will scan laptops with hidden explosives fine now. One of the designs has been certified by a govt. agency.

But who knows if and when airports will upgrade their scanners.

Has anyone checked to see if the manufacturers of new airport scanners have financial ties to the new administration, or were campaign contributors?

John Kelly continues his media push with interview on Fox News Sunday:

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-us...-idUSKBN18O0KL

He's prepping the public for the expansion of the ban.

I heard something on NPR last week about this, and to me, Kelly seems to be alluding to new procedures to deal with tightly packed carry-ons.

On the radio, it was glibly mentioned that since we shove so much into our carry-on luggage nowadays, it is too hard for screeners to tell what they are looking at. (Most reassuring!) To combat this, passengers might be required to remove from their bags anything larger than a cellphone before the carry-on can be put through the x-ray machines, and that 10 (unnamed) U.S. cities will be testing this method soon.

Can you imagine how fun that would be?

I'd forgotten all about it until I read the article in the link above. Perhaps rather than banning electronics, they are considering this new procedure.

No they're considering both.

I have to take out my DSLR my laptop and often my lenses when going through security at almost any airport. I don't have a problem with it.

Of course all the while people can pay to avoid going through TSA checks in the US so there is a huge gaping security leak right there. Plus the fact that TSA are useless at actually detecting illegal items, failing in 95% of cases to find fake bombs planted to test them, not to mention loaded(!) guns.


I still believe the risk of Lithium batteries in the hold is far greater than the terrorist risk, especially as the US refuse to share with their allies, but will happily discuss with Russia, and no doubt with Saudi Arabia, since they also seem to be on the good guys list nowadays, regardless of their Islamic extremism and state sponsoring of terrorism.

I'm already used to having my bags searched thoroughly (but quickly). On a trip home from Paris last week, this happened twice: once at CDG airport security, and once in the US at customs - I was flagged for an agricultural inspection for some reason. But I carry a lot of electronics with me: laptop, tablet, camera, lots of cables and accessories. I guess if they searched everyone this way, it would really slow things down.

I've already been thinking about how I would adjust to not having a laptop when I travel to Europe. I mostly need one now for photography. I've been using my tablet with bluetooth keyboard more often and it works well enough for basic internet stuff, but I can't do anything with pictures with it. I like to sort my pictures on my laptop as I travel, plus I use the laptop to back them up. I guess I could guy a few extra memory cards and find some device that backs them up as I travel onto a portable hard drive. I take far too many pictures to even consider backing them up to the cloud every night.

Supposedly a final decision:

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/0...top-ban-238939

Reading between the lines, it sounds like US wanted it, even had said John Kelly would make the final decision.

But they had a call today and the EU announced there would be no ban.

However, there seems to be bad feelings, with US saying previously it was their decision to make and the EU pushing back against putting electronics in the hold.

Security experts quoted in the article say the EU and US may be fighting about this proposed ban and other security issues.

I didn't read it as final. I think we are OK for now, though.

DHS was unhappy that the EU made the statement about no ban.

They say it's still on the table.

But a JetBlue flight from NY to SFO had to be diverted to Michigan because of a fire on board from a laptop:

http://www.businessinsider.com/jetbl...top-ban-2017-5

DHS has been maintaining that putting electronics into the cargo hold was not a big risk.

Just got back last night, and had no particular focus on electronics when going through departure security at CDG. AirFrance did send an email (when I checked in online) saying that you needed to have any electronics "charged and in working condition" or you would not be allowed to board the plane by US authorities. But I didn't notice anyone even looking at them.

I'm leaving next week for Europe and will be gone three weeks. I need my laptop for business purposes. I'm worried that while I am away, a laptop ban will be enacted that will require me to put my laptop in my checked luggage. My devices are password protected, but I would still be dismayed if my laptop were stolen. I cannot be the only business person with this dilemma. What to do?

Learn how to take the hard drive out of your laptop. Could be relatively easy - depends on the model and design of your laptop. (My Dell laptop's hard drive can be removed easily with two little screws, in about 30 seconds.) You will probably need a little phillips screwdriver. (Don't try to carry it on, as I learned when mine was confiscated at CDG security, even though I'd taken it overseas a half dozen times before). And bring a little anti-static bag with you for the hard drive - or SSD as the case may be. Anyway, all of your data is on the hard drive or SSD so even if your laptop were stolen from your checked bag, no data could be retrieved from it.

But I wouldn't be too worried at this point. This story originally popped up while I was in Europe traveling with my laptop, but nothing came of it when the decision was made not to extend the ban at this time. Maybe it will be in the future - maybe not.

<i>What to do?</i>

Carry the HD with you.