Soon Laptops not allowed as carry-on

[audreyh1]

I finally found this article explaining specifics on whys behind the carry on laptop ban. U.S. Raid in Yemen Led to Laptop Ban on Flights, Officials Say

 

[kombat]

My understanding is that the x-ray machines are more sensitive for checked bags than carry ons.

I don't believe that's true; X-ray is X-ray. At the personnel screening security checkpoint, I've seen them vary the "depth" of the X-ray image in real time to get a better look at the contents.

Plus, I'd think in a checked bag, there's not finger pressing an activate button like that possibility with carry on.

As I said, that makes it MORE of a threat. There have been multiple examples of bombs detonating in cargo holds of airplanes that were set off by a timing device. The fact that the bomber can potentially take down a plane, and live to bomb again (instead of detonating it manually in a suicide attack) is a plus, not a minus (to them).

 

[kombat]

Overhead A-320 cockpit panel:

Fair enough, I should have qualified my statement. Some planes, particularly more modern ones, control the temperature in the cargo hold. However ALL planes pressurize the cargo hold. They must, otherwise the floor of the passenger compartment would buckle downward, destroying the airplane.

Turkish Airlines flight 981, for example. The cargo door blew open in flight, causing rapid, massive decompression of the cargo area, which caused the floor of the cabin to flex downward rapidly and fail. This crash actually resulted in an NTSB recommendation that airplanes be fitted with larger floor vents between the passenger cabin and the cargo area, so that in the event of an uncontrolled decompression in the cargo area, the pressure would equalize more quickly, reducing the amount of damage suffered by the floor of the passenger cabin.

 

[dixonge]

When the ban was first brought up, back in March, this was the discussion on Schneier.com - a lot of interesting, thought-provoking details here:

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2017/03/the_tsas_select.html

 

[wrigley]

The only time I take my laptop on a trip any more is if I expect to spend a lot of time in a hotel. Most of the time my iPhone does the job for me, even on a trip of a couple of weeks.

Phones will be next!

Mike

 

[6miths]

So funny story.... just checking in for a flight from Tampa to Toronto online.

Question is 'Are you carrying any dangerous materials in your baggage?'. So usually I would just figure no and check same but I actually read the list - Lithium ion batteries are on the list. So what to do? What passenger isn't traveling with one or more Lithium ion batteries. So stupidly I checked 'yes' and that was the end of online check-in. See an agent at the airport.

 

[EastWest Gal]

I rarely bring my laptop on a trip. I prefer books, puzzles and sleep on the flight itself. I'm flying with a group to Italy next week. I'm bringing my phone. Just texting and email when I have wi-fi access. I'll be too busy for the computer.

 

[audreyh1]

Phones will be next!

Mike

You really think so?

I don't. I think no way will they be able to force customers to check their smartphones.

At some point the explosives will be small enough they will have to way improve detection or admit that they simply can't keep fliers as safe.

I have my doubts about checking such items making things safer anyway. Then you ban all electronics on flights? No one can take their camera on their vacation anymore? Not to mention all the business travelers who need to carry electronics to do their jobs.

 

[wrigley]

You really think so?

I don't. I think no way will they be able to force customers to check their smartphones.

At some point the explosives will be small enough they will have to way improve detection or admit that they simply can't keep fliers as safe.

I have my doubts about checking such items making things safer anyway. Then you ban all electronics on flights? No one can take their camera on their vacation anymore?

A few years ago I did a lot of flying for work. There were laptops everywhere on the flights. I would have never imagined back then laptops being banned. It's just a matter of time before the bad guys make bombs that are small enough to fit in a cell phone and powerful enough to take an aircraft down. It sure seems to be going in that direction.

Mike

 

[Koolau]

When I change locations for months at a time, I need my lap top so I need to carry it with me. I wouldn't mind it being checked, but I don't trust the folks who do the baggage screening or whatever. Why theft still takes place in an airport is beyond me. It would be so easy to stop if there were a commitment.

If the ban does go into effect domestically, I may simply have one laptop at each location and carry data in a thumb drive. Alternately, I could see shipping it back and forth though that would be a major hassle and expense.

 

[meierlde]

When I change locations for months at a time, I need my lap top so I need to carry it with me. I wouldn't mind it being checked, but I don't trust the folks who do the baggage screening or whatever. Why theft still takes place in an airport is beyond me. It would be so easy to stop if there were a commitment.

If the ban does go into effect domestically, I may simply have one laptop at each location and carry data in a thumb drive. Alternately, I could see shipping it back and forth though that would be a major hassle and expense.

Assuming you know your destination address, you could UPS or FedEx it or even the post office priority mail (a laptop should fit in one of their boxes).


But I would go a step further investigate virtual box and build a virtual os that you have on the thumb drive will all of your apps.

 

[audreyh1]

When I change locations for months at a time, I need my lap top so I need to carry it with me. I wouldn't mind it being checked, but I don't trust the folks who do the baggage screening or whatever. Why theft still takes place in an airport is beyond me. It would be so easy to stop if there were a commitment.

If the ban does go into effect domestically, I may simply have one laptop at each location and carry data in a thumb drive. Alternately, I could see shipping it back and forth though that would be a major hassle and expense.

Yes, I've thought of the thumb drive and memory cards.

I don't think they are going to ban them as carry on though. I'm thinking they might adopt the European security screening custom of all electronic devices larger than a phone (cameras, tablets, laptops, etc.) taken out of bags and placed in plastic bins for screening. Apparently some US airports have been doing this kind of screening already as a test program.

 

[imoldernu]

About ignition....
I am reminded of an experiment.... that my clever classmates conjured up back in1953, in 11th grade Chemistry class.
It was carried out inside the windowed hood of the classroom lab, and so avoided a disaster ...Bad enough. So here was the design.... in an 8 inch test tube, 2 inches of potassium permanganate, followed by 2 inches of sulfur, topped off with 2 inches of glycerin. Placed in a test tube rack rack, at the end of class. We left the classroom, and 15 minutes later the glycerin seeped thru the sulphur, and contacted the potassium permanganate.

The result was a super flash fire that melted the test tube, which lay in a mound of molten glass, actually melting into the slate bottom of the "hood". The sulphur smoke leaked out through the glass door and caused the entire school to be evacuated, with 400 students sent home for the day.

Ummm.. Did I say classmates...? Yeah... well, better that way.

 

[mpeirce]

I expect most people won't really mind not being able to use a laptop coming back from Europe.

For those who really want to work on their flight, they can route through Toronto.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

i hope they ban phones from restaurants next, its very annoying to hear someone yapping on the phone while im dining on the other side of the eatery.

 

[dixonge]

About ignition....
I am reminded of an experiment.... that my clever classmates conjured up back in1953, in 11th grade Chemistry class.
It was carried out inside the windowed hood of the classroom lab, and so avoided a disaster ...Bad enough. So here was the design.... in an 8 inch test tube, 2 inches of potassium permanganate, followed by 2 inches of sulfur, topped off with 2 inches of glycerin. Placed in a test tube rack rack, at the end of class. We left the classroom, and 15 minutes later the glycerin seeped thru the sulphur, and contacted the potassium permanganate.

The result was a super flash fire that melted the test tube, which lay in a mound of molten glass, actually melting into the slate bottom of the "hood". The sulphur smoke leaked out through the glass door and caused the entire school to be evacuated, with 400 students sent home for the day.

Ummm.. Did I say classmates...? Yeah... well, better that way.

Our high school was evacuated one day, but only because the chemistry teacher was demonstrating a substance (magnesium?) that catches fire when exposed to oxygen. Kept it in a box buried in sand. Evidently got a bit out of control and sent a wave of somewhat toxic smoke down the halls. This is the same teacher that knocked herself out and across the room while trying to fix a faulty static electricity generator. Hard to forget her. Also, I won the 'broke the most stuff' contest in her class one semester. A sulfuric acid spill incident put me over the top. *shrug*

 

[braumeister]

Question is 'Are you carrying any dangerous materials in your baggage?'. So usually I would just figure no and check same but I actually read the list - Lithium ion batteries are on the list. So what to do? What passenger isn't traveling with one or more Lithium ion batteries. So stupidly I checked 'yes' and that was the end of online check-in. See an agent at the airport.

On a recent flight home from vacation I decided to lighten my load by putting my camera in my checked bag.
When checking in I was asked "Any electronics in your bag?" Me: "Yes, a camera."
Agent: "Does it have a battery?" Me: "Yes."
Agent: "Please take it out and carry it on."

So I had to open my suitcase right there and dig out the camera. The people behind me in the check-in line were not amused.

 

[audreyh1]

On a recent flight home from vacation I decided to lighten my load by putting my camera in my checked bag.
When checking in I was asked "Any electronics in your bag?" Me: "Yes, a camera."
Agent: "Does it have a battery?" Me: "Yes."
Agent: "Please take it out and carry it on."

So I had to open my suitcase right there and dig out the camera. The people behind me in the check-in line were not amused.

This is probably going to be standard procedure.

 

[6miths]

On a recent flight home from vacation I decided to lighten my load by putting my camera in my checked bag.
When checking in I was asked "Any electronics in your bag?" Me: "Yes, a camera."
Agent: "Does it have a battery?" Me: "Yes."
Agent: "Please take it out and carry it on."

So I had to open my suitcase right there and dig out the camera. The people behind me in the check-in line were not amused.

The interesting thing is that when I got to the airport and had to check in the old fashioned way, I explained to the check in person why I hadn't checked in ahead of time. They weren't really interested and just checked me in and gave me TSA pre-screened status to DW and I. I have Nexus but DW does not so I don't know the rationale. At the express TSA pre-screened line they had no questions to ask either. And no shoes or belts off and didn't have to go through the new screening machine. So I am left not knowing what the heck is up.

 

[easysurfer]

So, flying domestically (USA), does the TSA look any differently at laptops brought via carry on than before the crackdown on international flights?

i'm going to be flying in about a month and am debating whether to bring a laptop or not. If bringing a laptop on carry is business as usual (take out and place on separate bin) then I may bring. Otherwise, if there is more scrutiny, may not be worth the effort to carry along.

 

[explanade]

Speculation is that DHS really wanted this ban. John Kelley was going to visit members of Congress and doing interviews, talking up this threat.

But the Europeans really didn't want electronic devices in the cargo holds. They also demanded that if the US imposed this ban on flights from EU to US, then US would have to do the same from US to the EU.

It may be that US airports aren't ready to do this either.

The other thing is, the companies making these airport scanners say their next generation of CT scanners will detect any booby-trapped laptops. But airports may not upgrade their equipment that fast.

 

[easysurfer]

I'm sure that probably the majority of laptop users flying are business travelers has something to do with no outright ban yet.

 

[audreyh1]

I'm sure that probably the majority of laptop users flying are business travelers has something to do with no outright ban yet.

There were meetings with European officials a few weeks ago. I think the US is now looking at other options.

In European airport security, all carry on electronics larger than phones, including cameras, tablets and laptops, must be removed from bags and scanned separately. So it takes a while longer to get through security there. Already more thorough than the US.

 

[Bestwifeever]

There were meetings with European officials a few weeks ago. I think the US is now looking at other options.

In European airport security, all carry on electronics larger than phones, including cameras, tablets and laptops, must be removed from bags and scanned separately. So it takes a while longer to get through security there. Already more thorough than the US.

I had to laugh in Europe when, unlike myself, my three travelling companions ignored several signs and even the laptop/iPad stencil on the security bin and kept these items in their carryons, to then get called aside and have to wait to be handscreened. Of course then I had to wait for them, but I still did my little superior dance about it.

Even so, the scanning process was pretty efficient--much more so than my Chicago airports.

 

[easysurfer]

There were meetings with European officials a few weeks ago. I think the US is now looking at other options.

In European airport security, all carry on electronics larger than phones, including cameras, tablets and laptops, must be removed from bags and scanned separately. So it takes a while longer to get through security there. Already more thorough than the US.

I don't mind the removed separately and scanned separately as long as there isn't extra attention then just that.

In fact, lugging a laptop case might be the best thing anyhow, to stuff all my belongings (wallet, keys, comb, belt) in before the routine "dress down".

Last time I flew, didn't think away so had to fiddle around with emptying my pockets in front of TSA.