US enhanced airport security checks target electronics

[webfact]

US enhanced airport security checks target electronics

(BBC) American officials have ordered some overseas airports with direct flights to the US to intensify screening of electronic devices.

Transport officials said in a statement passengers could be asked to switch on devices, and equipment that does not power up would not be allowed on board.

An official told the BBC that London's Heathrow was among the airports.

The US announced new security measures last week, apparently in response to a terror threat, but gave no details.

Analysts say the changes appear to be in response to intelligence that Islamic militants in Syria and Yemen are developing bombs that could evade airport security.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-28185149


-- BBC 2014-07-07

[ukrules]

It's all theater, smoke and mirrors.

[Maroon Watcher]

....on the same subject

Anyone know if it's ok to take a rice cooker out of Thailand (Not to U.S.)

It was expensive and It would be in 'Hold' luggage

?

Thanks

[ThaiFelix]

(BBC) American officials have ordered some overseas airports with direct flights to the US to intensify screening of electronic devices.

Ordered?? Not asked?? The sheer arrogance!!

[Mango Bob]

Your damn right we have the right to protect ourselves and other passengers coming to the US. Just another case here of uneducated TV grumpy old man making stupid comments.

[Credo]

(BBC) American officials have ordered some overseas airports with direct flights to the US to intensify screening of electronic devices.

Ordered?? Not asked?? The sheer arrogance!!

Airlines are under no obligation to fly directly to the US if they do not wish to comply. They also are required to send a manifest of passengers before takeoff, I believe.

I bet some airports even order airlines to file a flight plan, and some even order them to obtain permission to overfly another countries airspace.

Was there something unique about ordering screening of electronic devices?

[sunshine51]

Switching on of electronic gear at airports for security checks is nothing new as I

have been doing this for nearly 30 years all over the world when security asks me

to; turn on my TV camera, turn on my still cameras, turn on my laptop etc..etc...etc.

I once left a camera bag at a table when going to the toilet at Heathrow back in

1986...watched by my travel companion while I was away...and when I returned

to said table the anti terror lads were waiting for me and they were not happy

nor impressed. I was detained for 11 hours then released without any apology.

Yes there were signs all over the airport and in London telling folks not to leave

any bag or whatever unattended (could face arrest) however..I had to piss and

I had a friend watch me bag while in the loo. That was not a very good excuse on

my part...it was a very serious learning experience ...

As for the US wanting to control all the oil outta the Middle East...that's the name

of their game today it seems. Oil = Power and the US wants that power...end of

statement FWIW.

Last note/factoid....back in late 2002, as the plans were being drawn up for the

invasion of Iraq by the Pentagon, Homer the acronym inventor came up with

Operation Iraqi Liberation and it was initially loved throughout the corridors

of the Pentagon. As March 2003 drew closer some bright individual, possibly

a Pentagon intern, cried out..."When the world gets wind of the impending

invasion and the operations name...we will look really stupid, I suggest we

change the operations acronym!"....So Operation Iraqi Liberation also once

known as O. I. L. was hastily changed to Operation Iraqi Freedom or O. I. F.

for short. Didn't wanna really give away the true reason for the invasion eh?

Edited July 7, 2014 by sunshine51

[hawker9000]

(BBC) American officials have ordered some overseas airports with direct flights to the US to intensify screening of electronic devices.

Ordered?? Not asked?? The sheer arrogance!!

Oh yeah. Just some puffed up U.S. bureaucrat throwing his weight around... Please...

Yes. Ordered. You want to land your plane here, then comply (pretty please...). 'Got nothing to do with arrogance, American exceptionalism, oil, or anything other than security awareness. And they wouldn't be doing it if there wasn't some reason. (And no, they're not necessarily going to tell you what they know or how they know it.) Would work just as well going the other direction. So stop your moaning, suck it up, wake up, & smell the coffee. If you don't like it, don't fly (or at least not to the U.S.). If you want to blame somebody, then place the blame where it properly belongs - Islam.

[PiPiFFS]

Your damn right we have the right to protect ourselves and other passengers coming to the US. Just another case here of uneducated TV grumpy old man making stupid comments.

The USA has never been under any direct threat from any country ever. This hasn't though stopped them going to war / invading many countries since WW2 Maybe if it hadn't tried to interfere in other nations politics it wouldn't be in the mess it is in now

America in the schoolyard bully boy of the world today. They can dictate what other countries MUST do like the full body scanners and now these measures. A decade or so ago I planned to tour the USA but not any more.

Just imagine you have spent the last 3 hours waiting in departures for your flight that has been delayed using the free wifi on your Ipad when you run out of battery. No problem the flight leaves in 10 minutes so you pack it away. At security they ask you to turn it on. When it doesnt you are told to leave it in the bin.

YEAH RIGHT !

It will just be the non Americans making a fuss over this then ?

[Chicog]

(BBC) American officials have ordered some overseas airports with direct flights to the US to intensify screening of electronic devices.

Ordered?? Not asked?? The sheer arrogance!!

They have every right to protect inbound flights, and if airports don't wish to comply, they don't fly. Quite simple really.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Chicog

[Chicog]

Your damn right we have the right to protect ourselves and other passengers coming to the US. Just another case here of uneducated TV grumpy old man making stupid comments.

The USA has never been under any direct threat from any country ever. This hasn't though stopped them going to war / invading many countries since WW2 Maybe if it hadn't tried to interfere in other nations politics it wouldn't be in the mess it is in now

America in the schoolyard bully boy of the world today. They can dictate what other countries MUST do like the full body scanners and now these measures. A decade or so ago I planned to tour the USA but not any more.

Just imagine you have spent the last 3 hours waiting in departures for your flight that has been delayed using the free wifi on your Ipad when you run out of battery. No problem the flight leaves in 10 minutes so you pack it away. At security they ask you to turn it on. When it doesnt you are told to leave it in the bin.

YEAH RIGHT !

It will just be the non Americans making a fuss over this then ?

If you are told in advance not to drain your electronics and you do it anyway, then you're an idiot aren't you? If you aren't clever enough to manage the charge, best you check it in your luggage.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Chicog

[PiPiFFS]

Your damn right we have the right to protect ourselves and other passengers coming to the US. Just another case here of uneducated TV grumpy old man making stupid comments.

The USA has never been under any direct threat from any country ever. This hasn't though stopped them going to war / invading many countries since WW2 Maybe if it hadn't tried to interfere in other nations politics it wouldn't be in the mess it is in now

America in the schoolyard bully boy of the world today. They can dictate what other countries MUST do like the full body scanners and now these measures. A decade or so ago I planned to tour the USA but not any more.

Just imagine you have spent the last 3 hours waiting in departures for your flight that has been delayed using the free wifi on your Ipad when you run out of battery. No problem the flight leaves in 10 minutes so you pack it away. At security they ask you to turn it on. When it doesnt you are told to leave it in the bin.

YEAH RIGHT !

It will just be the non Americans making a fuss over this then ?

If you are told in advance not to drain your electronics and you do it anyway, then you're an idiot aren't you? If you aren't clever enough to manage the charge, best you check it in your luggage.

No as I'm not American and wouldn't be flying there either.

No Ipod either for that matter

As much as I couldn't disagree more with the politics of Hugo Chavez the world could do with a few more leaders like this man who wasn't afraid to tell the USA to go take a running jump

[chuckd]

The "hate-the-Yanks" brigade is out in full fury today. Must be a work release program.

[Jonmarleesco]

I know the Americans tend to get confused by the self-designated description of their president as leader of the free world. But ordering other nations' airports to beef up their security procedures, whether or not for US flights, is, to the best of my knowledge and no matter how much they might desire it, not in their job description.

[galoubet]

....on the same subject

Anyone know if it's ok to take a rice cooker out of Thailand (Not to U.S.)

It was expensive and It would be in 'Hold' luggage

?

Thanks

I've "exported" 3 Thai rice cookers to the UK, a large ceiling fan, woks, kitchen knives, crockery, a stone charcoal stove, a heavy metal gas stove, mossie racquets, etc., etc.

Most went in the hold without any problems (although the ceiling fan was checked a few times because of the density of the motor). I carried the rice cookers as hand luggage.

The ceiling fan is still working well in my conservatory but the rice cookers are little used I'm afraid.

The kitchen knives ("kom-kom") are the best and sharpest knives ever.

Can't see why you should have any problems.

[bkk_mike]

....on the same subject

Anyone know if it's ok to take a rice cooker out of Thailand (Not to U.S.)

It was expensive and It would be in 'Hold' luggage

?

Thanks

In your hold luggage, it should be fine. Remember to get it a proper plug on it, rather than just plug it into an adapter though, as if it's the UK (for instance), the live and neutral are the other way around than on 3-pin Thai plugs.

The real problem from security's perspective is battery packs - to the scanners, they essentially look like explosives (if you've ever seen a Lithium-ion battery burn up - they would make decent incendiaries).

Add in that they're connected to a circuit board, and it's how a bomb would be likely to be disguised.

That's why you generally aren't allowed to put laptops or tablets in your hold luggage and are required to take them in your hand luggage. (and usually take them out of the bag for the scanners).

[metisdead]

A post using derogatory slang terms for American people has been removed as well as a quoted reply

[ukrules]

I wonder if you can take a pressure cooker onto an airline bound for the US these days

[impulse]

(BBC) American officials have ordered some overseas airports with direct flights to the US to intensify screening of electronic devices.

Ordered?? Not asked?? The sheer arrogance!!

Question is, why doesn't your country care enough to do the same for you? Lockerbie ring any bells?

[mania]

This sword cuts both ways here

As a US citizen at times I have wondered at how easy it is to board flight to the US

But not because of the country I am leaving from as that is their policy.

But, with that thought in mind it has always amazed me at how easy it is to enter the US

once on US soil.

Meaning,

Compared to leaving the US which is borderline insane with the full body scans the requests

to know if your carrying more than 10k USD cash..

(I have been asked this multiple times while boarding the same flight out of US)

Yet incoming?? almost non-existent

Just a passport check & welcome home

I always wondered .....If I were the US security would I be more worried about

supposed terrorist leaving the US or entering?

So why then all the security at departure & near none at entry?

TSA on entry? none that I have ever seen.

Just always struck me as odd

[Chicog]

I know the Americans tend to get confused by the self-designated description of their president as leader of the free world. But ordering other nations' airports to beef up their security procedures, whether or not for US flights, is, to the best of my knowledge and no matter how much they might desire it, not in their job description.

Well I'm afraid it is. If airports won't properly secure an aircraft and its passengers before takeoff, it doesn't land ind the US. Seems a simple equation to me and one from which people can opt out if they so choose.

And I'm not even American.

[Chicog]

That's why you generally aren't allowed to put laptops or tablets in your hold luggage and are required to take them in your hand luggage. (and usually take them out of the bag for the scanners).

I've never been told not to put a laptop or tablet in checked baggage - and I wouldn't do anyway because I know enough baggage handlers to know that they can get into anything.

But you aren't allowed to put lithium batteries in your luggage, at least on BA.

[zank]

I heard some talk recently of increased scrutiny by security to target and scan more carefully, mobile phones, in paticular, larger models.

As the newer devices are bigger, with more powerful batteries, they have the potential to cause a bigger bang with the right sort of 'modification'; and up to now, there has been complacency in scanning these items when going through screening.

[capcc76]

Your damn right we have the right to protect ourselves and other passengers coming to the US. Just another case here of uneducated TV grumpy old man making stupid comments.

The USA has never been under any direct threat from any country ever. This hasn't though stopped them going to war / invading many countries since WW2 Maybe if it hadn't tried to interfere in other nations politics it wouldn't be in the mess it is in now

America in the schoolyard bully boy of the world today. They can dictate what other countries MUST do like the full body scanners and now these measures. A decade or so ago I planned to tour the USA but not any more.

Just imagine you have spent the last 3 hours waiting in departures for your flight that has been delayed using the free wifi on your Ipad when you run out of battery. No problem the flight leaves in 10 minutes so you pack it away. At security they ask you to turn it on. When it doesnt you are told to leave it in the bin.

YEAH RIGHT !

It will just be the non Americans making a fuss over this then ?

If you are told in advance not to drain your electronics and you do it anyway, then you're an idiot aren't you? If you aren't clever enough to manage the charge, best you check it in your luggage.

No as I'm not American and wouldn't be flying there either.

No Ipod either for that matter

As much as I couldn't disagree more with the politics of Hugo Chavez the world could do with a few more leaders like this man who wasn't afraid to tell the USA to go take a running jump

Than you must br a loser with nothing better to do to complain about something that will never impact you.

So sorry for the minor inconvenience to a bunch of impatient, grumpy old dudes that might have to get to the airport 15 minutes earlier if they want to come to the US. Perhaps US should start a ban of those that might fit the profile of a terrorist. Keep the riff raft out and those so impatient will get through security 15 minutes quicker. Problem solved.