TravelSkills

News and Tips For Your Trips

DHS: Prepare for laptop ban on Europe flights

Middle Eastern carriers are offering loaner laptops to premium passengers. (Image: Qatar Airways)

Reports are spreading on the Internet that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security could be on the verge of announcing a broad expansion of its so-called “laptop ban,” extending it to U.S.-Europe routes. Meanwhile, another airline affected by the ban has started loaning laptops to its business class flyers.

The ban was introduced in late March, prohibiting U.S.-bound travelers on flights out of 10 Middle Eastern and African airports from bringing laptops and tablets into the passenger cabin. The U.K. adopted a similar ban shortly thereafter.

UPDATE: Thursday> US Airlines meeting with DHS about expanding the ban. (Reuters)

UPDATE: Tuesday> U.S. officials have told airlines to “be prepared” for an expanded ban on carry-on electronic devices allowed on airplanes (Fox News, Bloomberg)

According to CBS News, the U.S. is said to be considering an expansion of the ban to include flights coming to the U.S. from continental Europe and possibly the U.K. Not good news as we enter the peak season for transatlantic flying. 

“Government officials have been meeting with U.S. airlines on a nearly weekly basis and intend to do so again later this week. Officials say a decision could come in the next few weeks,” CBS said. CBS got a non-answer from the Transportation Security Administration saying that it has made no decisions on extending the ban, but adding that it is “continuously reassessing security directives based on intelligence” and will make changes if it considers them necessary.

If a ban is indeed coming, perhaps the DHS is giving airlines some time to prepare for such a hit to their operations.

A laptop ban on flights from Europe would obviously pose a major problem for the business travel community, since laptops and tablets – anything larger than a smartphone – would have to be stowed in the hold with the passenger’s luggage (if he or she checked any).

Middle Eastern carriers affected by the initial ban have struggled to keep U.S.-bound business travelers by introducing new services like the option of gate-checking your laptop and picking it up at the destination. They have also started offering loaner devices to business and first class travelers for use during their flight; Qatar Airways, Etihad and Emirates all started doing so more than a month ago.

This week Turkish Airlines has started a similar loaner program for U.S.-bound business class flyers; it will extend the offer to U.K.-bound flights on May 12.

Maybe you don’t want to be traveling internationally with electronic devices these days anyway– read this post to find out why

Despite those programs, Middle Eastern airlines are taking a hit in bookings. Emirates announced a few weeks ago that it is cutting flight frequencies on five U.S. routes.

If many travelers are booking themselves from the Middle East to the U.S. via connections in Europe to avoid the laptop ban, what will they do if it is expanded? Canada does not currently impose a laptop ban… would it make sense for Americans to travel to/from Europe via Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal?

Readers: What would you do if the U.S. bans laptops and tablets from the passenger cabins of U.S.-bound flights from Europe?

Interesting: Here’s what started these rumors flying– a tweet from a brainy 20-year-old aviation enthusiast from the UK. In comments he states that the announcement could come from the White House by this Friday.

ICYMI, see the 25 most recent TravelSkills posts right here

In the market for a new credit card? See our “Credit Card Deals” tab to shop around! It helps us help you.

Don’t miss out! Join the 185,000+ people who read TravelSkills every month! Sign up here for one email-per-day updates!


Print pagePDF pageEmail page

DHS warning: Laptop ban could be expanded

DHS/TSA could expand its crackdown on in-flight electronic devices. (Image: TSA)

The Department of Homeland Security could soon expand its so-called “laptop ban” to flights from additional airports.

The controversial order imposed by the U.S. last month prohibits passengers on non-stop flights to the U.S. from 10 airports in eight Middle Eastern and African nations from carrying anything larger than a smartphone into the cabin; laptops and tablets must go into checked luggage.

According to CNN, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told a Senate panel this week: “We may take measures in the not-too-distant future to expand the number of airports” covered by the ban. Kelly did not say where those airports might be.

Qatar Airways is offering loaner laptops to premium passengers. (Image: Qatar Airways)

Kelly said the laptop ban currently in place is based on “a real threat.” Some recent reports indicated that terrorist groups are working on ways to hide explosives in electronic devices. Kelly told the Senate committee that there are “dozens of (terrorist) cells…talking about aviation,” and the laptop ban is an effort to keep one step ahead of them.

CNN said it also learned that some flights arriving from airports covered by the laptop ban are being targeted by the TSA for special inspections after they land in the U.S., using bomb-sniffing dogs and other techniques.

Some Middle Eastern carriers have devised new strategies to adapt to the ban, like offering premium passengers on their U.S. flights loaner laptops and tablets, free in-flight Internet, gate-checking of electronic devices and so on. Emirates joined that group this week, announcing that it would provide business and first class passengers on its U.S. flights from Dubai with Microsoft Surface tablets equipped with Microsoft Office 2016.

ICYMI, see the 25 most recent TravelSkills posts right here

Don’t miss out! Join the 200,000+ people who read TravelSkills every month! Sign up here for one email-per-day updates!


Print pagePDF pageEmail page
Editorial Disclaimer: This editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer. Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through the credit card issuer Affiliate Program. Responses in the comments section are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.”