I don’t know that you could pay me enough to be as gate agent, and they are not really raking in the dough
Well, they were smart enough to film the encounter on the plane. That seems to have been plenty… much to Delta’s chagrin.
“No final decisions have been made on expanding the restriction on large electronic devices in aircraft cabins; however, it is under consideration. DHS continues to evaluate the threat environment and will make changes when necessary to keep air travelers safe.”
However, this move is increasing fears in the aviation industry that as well as guarding against bombs this ban could actually endanger flights. Laptops and tablets denied access to the cabin and added to checked baggage means that devices with a history of lithium-ion battery fires could set off a deadly conflagration in a cargo hold — where no one can put out the fires.
That makes sense. Everyone knows that bombs are harmless when detonated within a cargo hold.
You shouldn’t have to show up with your family in tow, your bags checked in to find out what the “real” story is with what you want. Getting the okay from an employee in advance… should actually work.
I am not disagreeing with you but I thought they got the go ahead… long before any gate agent conversation. Like why would you buy your son another ticket if you weren’t sure your existing plan works?
I can certainly go several hours and even a few days without a laptop. The problem is my general distrust of the TSA or airlines. My problem is theft, not the loss of the device for the duration of the trip. They’re reasoning for this is pretty stupid too.
That’s just nuts. If it’s a bomb, storing it in the cargo hold doesn’t make it magically safe.
It actually makes things more dangerous because if a lithium ion battery catches fire in the cargo hold then its not going to be out out as quickly as it would be if it occurred in the seating area.
The main revolt is going to be in the business travelers, which is the bread and butter of the international routes. Not being able to do work on my flights back and forth to Europe would suck. If this goes into effect, I’m hoping it won’t apply to iPads/Surfaces.
Don’t worry everyone. For in-flight entertainment, everyone will have the opportunity to purchase The Art of the Deal on their way onto the plane.
My last flight a couple of weeks ago, I traveled with my work laptop. It was not business travel, but I still had it. It’s like a 50/50 chance some TSA agent will treat my Surface like an actual laptop that needs to go through the scanner, so I put it through anyway to get the annoyed rebuke instead of a pat down. I suspect a similar experience would befall me trying not to check it.
God yes. Back in the day when I was traveling back and forth to Boston several times a year for college, I’d always keep my most valuable possessions on my person at all times, to the extent possible. I’d check clothes, books, maybe even CDs, but computers, videogame systems, etc., were always in my carryons. Too many sticky-fingered TSA goons to do otherwise, TBH.
At least for the big financial institution I work for, laptops are never allowed to leave your person due to sensitive data. We’re not allowed to check them, so I wonder how that policy is going change.
And what is the deal with iPads? I just got delayed in Frankfurt for 40 minutes last week due to an iPad in my carry on, when no one Stateside needed it out of the bag. Give me a policy, I’ll do it, don’t make me play the guessing game at every airport.
Laptops and iPads have been out of bag forever in European airports.
in the USA, tablets, e-readers and phones aren’t… but things like the Surface, it’s really up to a particular agent’s mood which is a problem.
I remember a few cases of video game systems vanishing that hit the news years ago and all this advice about putting it in your carry on. Speaking of which… if they’re so scare of laptops… video games, especially ones with screens… similar risk.
Those will be the source of complaints, but what does a revolt look like? There are no alternatives for long-distance travel.
It looks like travelers who stop taking direct flights from the EU to the US, and instead routing through Canada. And since American carriers don’t fly from the EU to Canada, it looks like a substantial loss of income for American carriers.
Not to mention that it will further incentivize alternate options. If you are a European thinking of vacationing in the US last year, would you do the same this year? Or if you are an international company would you hold meetings in the US, or would you host them in Canada? How about telepresence? What might have been too difficult and costly before, suddenly looks a whole lot more attractive.
Make no mistake, this will cost the US tens of billions in revenue a year.
Unless someone or some company is rolling in money, I’d assume if they didn’t have to fly, they wouldn’t. There really isn’t an option B here if you have to travel. Telework and teleconference is already readily available.
What’s that you say? This policy will have unintended consequences? I did not see this coming.