U.S., Europe seek measures to avert expanded airline laptop ban

By David Shepardson

 

An illustration picture shows a laptop on the screen of an X-ray security scanner, April 7, 2017. REUTERS/Srdjan Zivulovic/Illustration

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will meet European officials this week to discuss new security measures that could prevent the U.S. government expanding a ban on laptops beyond flights from ten airports primarily in the Middle East.

 

David Lapan, a DHS spokesman, said in a briefing Tuesday that he would not disclose specific security enhancements but said they were "in the way of information sharing, passenger information, detection types of steps."

 

Homeland Security chief John Kelly told a congressional panel last week he was looking at an additional 71 airports in Europe, Africa and the Middle East for a possible expansion of the ban.

 

A European airline industry official told Reuters the United States had suggested possible enhancements including explosive trace detection screening, increased vetting of airports' staff and additional detection dogs.

 

U.S. restrictions on laptops announced in March, including on flights originating from airports in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, came amid fears a concealed bomb could be installed in electronic devices taken aboard aircraft. Britain followed suit with restrictions.

 

Any expansion of the ban could impact U.S. carriers such as United Airlines, Delta Air Lines Inc and American Airlines Group.

Lapan said the United States would not present a definitive list to Europeans to avoid a ban but rather options under consideration. He added that it "remains to be seen" if enhanced security measure could allow reversal of existing airports under the ban.

 

DHS officials are attending the meeting in Malta "to present what we think are the minimum increased security standards ... and present those to people to say if you meet these standards we will not ban large electronics," Kelly said.

 

Reuters and other media outlets reported in early May that an expansion was likely, but more than a month later, the U.S. government has offered no timetable for making a decision. Lapan said no decision was expected this week.

 

(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington Additional reporting by Julia Fioretti; Editing by Chris Sanders and Andrew Hay)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-06-14

If laptops have to be in checked baggage, have airlines allowed for a couple extra kilos in allowance? Plane doesn't regard checked baggage weight as any different from weight you carry on. It would be sensible, so I assume answer is "no"....

What is the difference in putting the laptop as part of the checked in baggage and taking it with you in to the cabin?  You would assume that if the terrorist is clever enough to make the bomb in the first place then they are clever enough to remotely detonate it no matter where it is on the plane.  Or are they hoping that the remainder of the luggage soaks up the blast.

 

Throwing your bag with your laptop in , and stacking ( heavy) bags on top of it .... Heavy vibrating planes at take off and landing , turbulance ....bad transport from the comveyor belt to the cargo hold of the plane and back... I hope airlines have a good insurance against claims of broken laptops.

Perhaps old advice from www.dummies.computers (traveling)