Electronics Banned from Airline Cabins

If you are an international air traveler with cameras and laptops and iPads, etc, make sure you are aware of the new rules that ban certain electronic devices from cabins and carry on luggage on certain airlines on flights that originate or layover at certain airports.

More info here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2017/03/23/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-airline-electronics-ban/?utm_term=.9c468ad91c72#comments

Make sure you read the article and then click on "comments" and read some of these too.

It will not take you long to figure out that these new rules conflict with existing rules about lithium batteries not being allowed in checked luggage. If you fly from a place like India and layover at one of the named airports before returning to the US or Great Britan, what are you going to do with your lithium camera batteries? Throw them away?

Guess you have to take the bateries as hand luggage and pray your camera/laptop/etc will arrive with you.

And bring a book or so to keep you busy during the flight.

Lithium batteries are one problem.

The other problem is xenophobia on "muslim" airlines.

It's a real problem. On my last international flight, I was assaulted by a nine-year old with whatever has replaced the Gameboy. ;)

Out of approximately 100,000 flights a day, 50 will be affected. As I understand, only flights originating from the specified airports, going to U.S. or Great Britain are affected. For stopovers, unless you exit the "sterile" area, your carry-on baggage is not subject to re-inspection.

As far as effectiveness, it would be simple to fly to a different country and board a second plane to the US or Britain. It is unfortunate and inconvenient, because Dubai, for example, is a key hub for travel to the far East.

Out of approximately 100,000 flights a day, 50 will be affected. As I understand, only flights originating from the specified airports, going to U.S. or Great Britain are affected. For stopovers, unless you exit the "sterile" area, your carry-on baggage is not subject to re-inspection.

 

As far as effectiveness, it would be simple to fly to a different country and board a second plane to the US or Britain. It is unfortunate and inconvenient, because Dubai, for example, is a key hub for travel to the far East.

The case of stopovers is more complicated than you describe. In Canada, there is a daily Dubai - Detroit flight that stops in Toronto and picks up passengers going to Detroit, often for business. Since they are boarding a restricted flight, they too must check their electronics.

This is just another example of over-control to convince the public that they are in grave danger but their government will protect them. Neither is true. The risk of dying in an aircraft terrorist attack is extremely low. And the government can do very little to protect you.

Also, if someone can get a bomb on board in the cabin, he can probably get the bomb into the baggage compartment and set it off remotely.

i now travel with an ipad mini and iphone 6s+. if this ban becomes real *, i honestly don't think i would mind that much.

(actually, not having an ipad would affect my ability to do certain things like fill in forms on non-mobile sites which can be a PITA. but it wouldn't affect my photography).

*worldwide, religiously enforced