Laptop flight ban - into UK but not out?

[steveyg]

I am travelling a lot again with work and rely on being able to work however would totally support a complete ban on all hand luggage except medical requirements . It would speed up the boarding and departure of the planes as well.

[achosenman]

I think its because passenger cabins and flight deck are pressurised so would rapidly de-pressurise or burst open if the airframe skin is damaged - whilst there would be no such effect in the hold.

 

The aircraft holds are pressurised to the same PSI as the cabin.

 

I'm wondering if its anything to do with Lithium batteries exploding and being banned from flights over a year ago.

 

More recently I've read somewhere about IS had been found to have been working on a laptop type bomb - and I guess its quite feasible for a suicide bomber to short out their lappy battery pack against a window.

 

No, airlines/ICAO have no qualms in restricting/banning items that are dangerous. Lithium batteries are dangerous. Y Tube has some spectacular footage of errant batteries going up in flames.

 

Obviously I am not in the know regarding the actual threat re the device, but having flown out of some of the banned airports multiple times recently, I can confirm that the security is at times, lets say, lax! In my opinion the international governing body for air travel (ICAO) should be applying severe restrictions on certain airports due to the attitude of their security staff. In the airports I use, the security at times are far more interested in their smartphone than the contents of the bag being scanned. They are pretty much relying on the scanner software to tell them their might be an issue rather than looking for the issue!

 

That's my experience as well. I'm sure any regular traveller would agree with you.

 

Also discussion today that if they are in the cabin they can be triggered at will. (time delay would soon get around that of course.

Checks at some of these international ports are woeful.

If this is a credible threat it cant be long before this is applied for all airports regardless of origin and destination.

 

A standard phone can be used to trigger an IED in the hold from the cabin, so I'd suggest a moot point really.

 

That is the idea behind the blast bag, it contains the blast within the bag.

 

I first heard of this technology two or more years ago, think the EU were funding its development and there was talk of all airlines using it by 2017.

So the technology is there, but its the case of the airlines putting their hand in their pocket ££

 

I can see mention of shockwave and shrapnel, but nothing about over pressurisation.

Edited March 22, 2017 by achosenman

[Dave-G]

 

The aircraft holds are pressurised to the same PSI as the cabin.

 

 

Thanks for the information.

[Retsdon]

I refuse to believe that anyone with even rudimentary technical and logistical know-how of bomb making behind them can't blow any airplane they choose to out of the sky. Put the bomb in the checked baggage and voila.

 

Ninety nine percent of 'security ' is either a placebo for anxious passengers or jobs/contracts for the boys.

[achosenman]

I refuse to believe that anyone with even rudimentary technical and logistical know-how of bomb making behind them can't blow any airplane they choose to out of the sky. Put the bomb in the checked baggage and voila.

 

Ninety nine percent of 'security ' is either a placebo for anxious passengers or jobs/contracts for the boys.

 

Why do you believe that "checked bags" are somehow the weak point? All bags are screened in the UK, that's 100%, no if's or but's. If for any reason they are unaccompanied, they get screened multiple times at different angles and certified as such for each bag.

 

Don't believe that coming into the UK you can smuggle contraband easily these days either. Yep you guessed it, on selected flights, hold bags are x-rayed before they get on the carousel. If customs pull you and ask you if you are carrying anything, odds on they already know.

Edited March 23, 2017 by achosenman

[steve_b_wales]

I returned from Egypt early this morning. Their security at Hurghada airport was excellent, although time consuming. Laptops/Tablets were only allowed if kept in suitcases. I, and all other passengers had to go through 3 security checks, and I was randomly chosen to have my hand luggage (camera bag) checked. Everything, including the lenses was checked over, and swabbed, including my hands and watch.

[spandit]

I'd surmise that it would be very difficult to get a Bluetooth or other wireless link to a device in the hold from the cabin. There's a lot of metal and cabling between the two and no guarantee your bag won't be at the other end of a long aircraft. It's a sensible precaution albeit annoying, especially since eReaders are affected - better invest in the paperback business!

[Paul223]

Just been reliably informed Brussels airport (not sure about other airports) are now putting all the hold baggage and any cargo excluding live animals (we're shipping horses) through a decompression chamber. To me that sounds like intelligence suggests bombs are being built to go off at a certain air pressure/altitude.

[Dave-G]

Just been reliably informed Brussels airport (not sure about other airports) are now putting all the hold baggage and any cargo excluding live animals (we're shipping horses) through a decompression chamber. To me that sounds like intelligence suggests bombs are being built to go off at a certain air pressure/altitude.

That sounds credible to me.