New US & UK Laptop/Tablet ban on up to 8 countries

[Pushka]

No issue flying to AU, only to UK and US.

Thanks. JT. Hopefully Australia sticks with that. You know how we like to join our 'friends'.

 

[clifford]

If you are really lucky, your checked bags will also be lighter.

Wrong! My checked bags won't be even a little bit lighter, because they won't exist. If I can't carry it on, it doesn't go. And I'm prepared to forego a laptop at this stage (well no work commitments to worry about).

 

[OzEire]

Can I pose a question please. How will this be implemented exactly...

1. at check-in they may say "do you have these in your carry on?" but will they just believe pax or physically check your bags to be sure ?
2. Every airport is different but the security screening point normally doesn't check boarding passes so if you are carrying large electronic items in your carry on at this point they may just assume you are on another flight (eg. not to the US/UK) where carriage is allowed.
3. Once on the plane if you declare the item to crew will they call the police or just "gate check" the item ?
4. If you manage to smuggle the item to your destination (UK / US) will there be new scanners to check if anyone did manage to get an item onboard ?
5. And even if they did find it at this point, and you aren't actually a terrorist so the item is not a bomb, what is the crime ?

I just don't see how this works ?

 

[Pleb Status]

Can I pose a question please. How will this be implemented exactly...

1. at check-in they may say "do you have these in your carry on?" but will they just believe pax or physically check your bags to be sure ?
2. Every airport is different but the security screening point normally doesn't check boarding passes so if you are carrying large electronic items in your carry on at this point they may just assume you are on another flight (eg. not to the US/UK) where carriage is allowed.
3. Once on the plane if you declare the item to crew will they call the police or just "gate check" the item ?
4. If you manage to smuggle the item to your destination (UK / US) will there be new scanners to check if anyone did manage to get an item onboard ?
5. And even if they did find it at this point, and you aren't actually a terrorist so the item is not a bomb, what is the crime ?

I just don't see how this works ?

There will be carry on bag searches at the gate/jet bridge like they do now. Very easy to police.

Last time I flew CX from HKG to PER everyone had to have their carry on searched. Happens regularly in DXB as well when flying to Australia on EK.

 

[serfty]

No issue flying to AU, only to UK and US.

To be clear & in relation to pushka's query re ex DXB flights, DXB to UK is fine, DXB to USA is not.

 

[TheRealTMA]

And when did lith-ion batteries suddenly become safe - last time I checked most airlines forbade such items to be packed in hold baggage due to the danger of them catching fire.

Interesting point. Lithium batteries are forbidden in checked luggage. Hand luggage only.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

There will be carry on bag searches at the gate/jet bridge like they do now. Very easy to police.

Last time I flew CX from HKG to PER everyone had to have their carry on searched. Happens regularly in DXB as well when flying to Australia on EK.

Those searches are for LAGS.

 

[defurax]

Interesting point. Lithium batteries are forbidden in checked luggage. Hand luggage only.

Only spare lithium batteries (not packaged according to IATA DG regulations) are forbidden in the hold. If the battery is inside an electronic device it's not a problem.

 

[Pleb Status]

Those searches are for LAGS.

Of course my examples are for liquids but the question was asked how the electronic device ban will be policed.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Of course my examples are for liquids but the question was asked how the electronic device ban will be policed.

Yes a similar arrangement could easily be made.
However these gate searches are uniformly awful and often there is a single queue for everyone which can negate all the benefits of priority boarding and security etc.

 

[auskiwiflyer]

Only spare lithium batteries (not packaged according to IATA DG regulations) are forbidden in the hold. If the battery is inside an electronic device it's not a problem.

Galaxy note 7 <-- example of unsafe battery in device. There are many stories of iphones catching fire too.

 

[defurax]

Galaxy note 7 <-- example of unsafe battery in device. There are many stories of iphones catching fire too.

I'm talking about rules, not what I think is safe or not.

 

[Skyring]

To be clear & in relation to pushka's query re ex DXB flights, DXB to UK is fine, DXB to USA is not.

EK DXB to JFK is affected, EK DXB to LHR is not affected. BA DXB to LHR is affected. QF DXB to LHR is not.

Obviously we can trust these folk.

 

[serfty]

... BA DXB to LHR is affected. ...

Huh? Why is BA DXB to LHR affected?

AFAIK There is no ban UAE to UK.

 

[OzEire]

There will be carry on bag searches at the gate/jet bridge like they do now. Very easy to police.

Sure, in some airports configured for additional gate screening this is able to be implemented- but a fair bit of work for the local authorities to update gate team with what is allowed on each departing flight (one to Germany, next one to US, then Canada, etc), or dedicated gates for "ban" flights?

Different issue where gates are open to each other and no X-ray station. physical bag searching will disrupt boarding as another poster mentioned.

And if a US$3,000 laptop is found in a bag? Is it confiscated like a water bottle or pair of nail clippers?

Emirates apparently working on a gate check option. I read it but can't find the link.

 

[mushez]

I was considering flying to LAX via DXB with EK in the next few months - and this has me seriously reconsidering the need to fly to the USA at all.

It would drive me nuts not being able to do any work on a 16 hour flight, and don't mind them as long as I have my laptop.

Just crazy to be checking in all those devices with the risks from the batteries.

 

[Pushka]

Huh? Why is BA DXB to LHR affected?

AFAIK There is no ban UAE to UK.

They've mentioned DXB on the ban list.

 

[serfty]

They've mentioned DXB on the ban list.

Who are "they"?

 

[serfty]

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39343971

 

[farstar]

UK flight ban on electronic devices announced - BBC News

If you look at the colours of the countries UAE is US only