Soon Laptops not allowed as carry-on

[RetireAge50]

I never carry my laptop since it is connected to my legs. Seriously though I would rather have snorkel gear.

 

[Big_Hitter]

not sure what we are going to do about w*rk when we have to go overseas - I'm guessing we will start fedexing laptops, similar to what they are doing with golf clubs

for retirees, given phones nowadays I'm not sure laptops are even necessary - I can do all my personal stuff on an android phone and tablet

perfect example - DW (who has been FIRED for 20 years) locked up her macair two years ago and has gotten by just fine with her iphone

 

[ocean view]

If you need to travel from Europe to the US (for business travelers for example) and you need those travel hours to do some work, my thought was to re-route your itinerary to fly first to Canada and then into the US...TSA doesn't govern flights to Canada. Especially if you are headed to a Northern US city, the additional time, might not be so significant.

 

[braumeister]

DW (who has been FIRED for 20 years) locked up her macair two years ago and has gotten by just fine with her iphone

Oh, wow. Thanks for this. Totally, utterly off topic, but your phrasing reminded me of a great story I just have to share.

Many years ago, we got some new equipment and had to determine how many spare engines to buy. These were engines that cost about $3 million each. Our top tech came up with a number and was overruled by the VP who said we needed three more (above the recommended number).

The tech guy offered a bet. He said he would get the funding and buy the extra three engines, but lock them up in a cage. If three years went by without ever needing to open the cage, he wanted his salary to be doubled. The VP laughed and agreed.

Three years later, he got his wish. The extra engines had not been needed, and his salary was doubled. Shortly afterward, the company started down the road to bankruptcy (surprise, right?) and his job was eliminated.

So whenever I hear a story about locking up something not needed, I get a big grin on my face and think of that story.

 

[FIYes]

I am going to miss the convenience of taking my iPad on an international flight. Typically, I would load up my iPad with books and magazines before the trip. It was much easier and lighter than carrying a couple of books. However as an earlier post pointed out, it has not been that many years that a tablet has even been an option. I will adapt. I do wish that flying was a more pleasant experience.

 

[Bestwifeever]

This could change everything. I predict the return of the hard-copy book and thumbdrives. And laptop rental kiosks at airports everywhere.

 

[foxfirev5]

We are much less patient and tolerant than you, and stopped flying in 2009 because for us, it is no fun any more. Honestly unless you HAVE to fly for business reasons, it's just a matter of preference and we prefer to avoid the aggravation.

DW bribes me by finding low cost first class tickets to get me on a plane. One final straw after another and now I've had it. After decades of business travel I'm convinced that air travel has become the ultimate in low life experiences.
If I need to go I'll gladly drive.
Now we'll see what DW thinks. After all she really is the boss.

 

[samclem]

Everything I've read says the ban is on flights "from" the ME, and soon Europe. Presumably you can still carry on outbound from the U.S.

If the US bans laptops in the cabin aboard US-bound flights from Europe (due to security concerns), we can bet the European countries will respond in kind.

The far higher risk is having your laptop, tablet or e-reader (yes, those too) stolen by TSA or airline employees. That's a known issue already with many cases.

+1 (including risk from theft by others with access to bags--it has been a long time since I actually had to prove the bag I was taking from the carousel belonged to me.) This theft risk is much more significant than the very minor inconvenience of not having a laptop to use in flight.

If I traveled a lot, I'd get a very cheap laptop (probably not a netbook unless I was sure I'd always be able to be online anywhere I went), load it with minimal software, and put it in my checked bag. I'd store all my data, favorites, etc on a USB memory stick to carry on the plane.

 

[Sunset]

I am going to miss the convenience of taking my iPad on an international flight. Typically, I would load up my iPad with books and magazines before the trip. It was much easier and lighter than carrying a couple of books. However as an earlier post pointed out, it has not been that many years that a tablet has even been an option. I will adapt. I do wish that flying was a more pleasant experience.

Oh, rats !
Of course this ban is going to appy to e-books as well.

And for me, it's really the theft and damage (from tossing bags) that is the issue.

 

[Moemg]

I was in Frankfurt airport yesterday and I was pulled aside for a random search . The funny thing is I am frequently pulled aside for a random search . I must have a terrorist look . They patted me down , searched my purse then searched my carry on . At that point they called in a policeman to assist . This did frighten me . They found my kindle and checked it out closely . Reluctantly they turned it on as if it was a bomb. Apparently my bag tested positive for some residue . The Policeman searched the bag and found the culprit my spacer for my inhaled meds . So I was free to go until the next trip when I will be searched again. It is exhausting being a fake terrorist .

 

[USGrant1962]

If I traveled a lot, I'd get a very cheap laptop (probably not a netbook unless I was sure I'd always be able to be online anywhere I went), load it with minimal software, and put it in my checked bag. I'd store all my data, favorites, etc on a USB memory stick to carry on the plane.

We did exactly that when my son did last summer abroad in Eastern Europe. He has a high-end laptop for his engineering studies, so we went to Best Buy and found a low-end open box laptop for under $300 - no box, no manual, just the computer and power supply. Turns out it is the same brand as his high-end one, so the keyboard and chassis are identical. He took the cheapie with him. In the end he had no problem but it was cheap insurance. Would have been fine with checking it if necessary.

 

[Alan]

If the US bans laptops in the cabin aboard US-bound flights from Europe (due to security concerns), we can bet the European countries will respond in kind.

I would think they will only do this if they think that it is a real security concern otherwise they are hurting their own tourist industry and airlines.

I understand the USA position as Europe does not have a Federal TSA like the USA that works to the same standard, and Europe has many land borders where terrorists can more easily bring in laptops and explosives, then board US bound flights.

 

[Just_Steve]

And on the news European airlines do not want the laptops in the luggage compartment because of lithium batteries and the risk of fire.

 

[W2R]

And on the news European airlines do not want the laptops in the luggage compartment because of lithium batteries and the risk of fire.

Hmm! Perhaps this is an opportunity for a new, airport based laptop rental business. Rent your laptop when you arrive, enjoy it for a week or two as you do your sightseeing, and then return the laptop to the same rental business at a different airport just before flying home.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Hmm! Perhaps this is an opportunity for a new, airport based laptop rental business. Rent your laptop when you arrive, enjoy it for a week or two as you do your sightseeing, and then return the laptop to the same rental business at a different airport just before flying home.

Great minds....

 

[Ronstar]

I carry an iPad, MacBook, GoPro, Sony point and shoot camera, dslr camera, lenses, and misc camera gear in my carry-on. I can travel for a short duration without an iPad or laptop, but not my camera stuff. But I've seen some comments on camera sites that say that cameras will soon have to be stowed in baggage. I won't check my camera gear. I don't trust baggage personnel.

Luckily our short term travel plans only are road trips and 1 flight to our snowbird destination. I'll ship stuff to/from our snowbird place if I have to.

 

[EastWest Gal]

I'm traveling to Italy in 11 days. I was planning on bringing my laptop for convenience with pdfs of my music in case it gets torn, in addition to convenience over the iPhone, as well as a video camera and tripod for our performance.

I'm thinking: forget the laptop and the camcorder and borrow DS's GoPro plus a digital microphone for the recording. All are small enough not to require putting in checked baggage. I'll store the pdfs in dropbox. They can be emailed to the music office in Italy and printed there. I had to do this last year.

 

[Sunset]

Hmm! Perhaps this is an opportunity for a new, airport based laptop rental business. Rent your laptop when you arrive, enjoy it for a week or two as you do your sightseeing, and then return the laptop to the same rental business at a different airport just before flying home.

I was thinking the same thing.... darn... competition..

 

[Christine]

Oh man!

I find long flights to be extremely boring. So I bring my laptop to amuse myself. A couple of movies. Do some work on my pet projects.

Now I really hope someone (Elon Musk callout!) start building a bridge so that I can drive to the US on holiday. Perhaps Norway -> Iceland -> Greenland -> Canada would do it?

 

[samclem]

Hmm! Perhaps this is an opportunity for a new, airport based laptop rental business. Rent your laptop when you arrive, enjoy it for a week or two as you do your sightseeing, and then return the laptop to the same rental business at a different airport just before flying home.

The rental charge could be pretty modest. The real money would come from selling all the info the traveler put into the laptop (email addresses, browsing history, etc). It would all go into a hard-to-sweep SSD ("to meet our obligations to law enforcement")

 

[Bryan Barnfellow]

If you need to travel from Europe to the US (for business travelers for example) and you need those travel hours to do some work, my thought was to re-route your itinerary to fly first to Canada and then into the US...TSA doesn't govern flights to Canada. Especially if you are headed to a Northern US city, the additional time, might not be so significant.

A good idea!

-BB

 

[meierlde]

The rental charge could be pretty modest. The real money would come from selling all the info the traveler put into the laptop (email addresses, browsing history, etc). It would all go into a hard-to-sweep SSD ("to meet our obligations to law enforcement")

To solve this, install virtual box on the laptop (perhaps just on top of linux) and set have the person run a virtual machine where they do all their work. You would bring a set up vm on a flash stick, and when turning the laptop in, put the vm back onto the flash drive leaving no easily found record on the laptop. This also has the advantage that folks can have the apps they desire, and allows the laptop renter to reimage on return since there is no data that has any value left on the laptop. Further the VM could by any version of windows the user desires.

 

[HFWR]

No bidness travel; I'm FIREd! And when flying, I take a little as possible. No laptop or tablet, maybe a POS camera (yep, both) or phone only. All carried on, though trips "overseas" might require more stuff.

 

[Chuckanut]

If I really needed a tablet I might consider having Amazon ship me one of their $50 7 inch Fire tablets to where I am staying. Logon with my Id and it would be ready to go. At the end of the trip, delete everything (I would never load it up with important data) and give it to the person who cleaned my room every day.

I must be an oddball but I love to fly. Yes, security and such can be a hassle, but overall it does not last that long. The thought of soaring around the globe at 30,000 feet is awe inspiring. Last year on a return trip we flew over Greenland on a clear sunny day. Great views of a part of the world I had never seen before.

 

[Souschef]

One final straw after another and now I've had it. After decades of business travel I'm convinced that air travel has become the ultimate in low life experiences.

+100 Look at the recent incidents
Doctor being dragged off plane
Mother arguing about her stroller
Punchout in Burbank on Southwest
Riot at Ft. Lauderdale airport