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[Shiggy]

The United States has ended a four-month ban on passengers carrying laptops onboard US-bound flights from certain airports in the Middle East and North Africa, bringing to an end one of the controversial travel restrictions imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration.

Riyadh’s King Khalid international airport was the last of 10 airports to be exempted from the ban, the US department of homeland security (DHS) confirmed in a tweet late on Wednesday local time.

US officials lifted the ban after visiting the 10 airports in Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey over the past three weeks to confirm new security measures announced last month were being implemented.

The United Kingdom continues to enforce a similar in-cabin ban on electronics ban on flights from some Middle Eastern airports. Those restrictions apply to flights from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/20/us-ends-laptop-ban-flights-middle-east

 

[PuppetSlave]

US officials lifted the ban after visiting the 10 airports in Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey over the past three weeks to confirm new security measures announced last month were being implemented.

The new requirements include enhanced passenger screening at foreign airports, increased security protocols around aircraft and in passenger areas and expanded canine screening.

Not sure what "enhanced passenger screening" entail but the other two don't really feel related to an carry on ban on laptops.

 

[Preezy]

Why announce you're ending the ban? Now all the terrorists will be stuffing their Lenovos with plastique!

 

[MikeHattsu]

Not sure what "enhanced passenger screening" entail but the other two don't really feel related to an carry on ban on laptops.

Some info:
http://www.torontosun.com/2017/07/1...enhanced-security-begins-for-us-bound-flights

Flying to the United States may take a while longer as of today due to enhanced security measures affecting flights to the U.S.

Both Air Canada and WestJet are advising passengers to arrive at airports at least two hours prior to scheduled departures to allow for additional screening.

Air Canada says in an advisory that heightened security introduced by the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security beginning today requires enhanced screening of personal electronic devices such as tablets and laptops.

In addition, all personal electronic devices larger than a smartphone will need to be easily accessible and have all cases and covers removed.

WestJet has posted similar advice, adding the recommendation applies to all flights departing Canada.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...irlines-amid-tightened-security/#.WXCY7Ue6xaQ

Major Japanese airlines on Tuesday began implementing tighter airport security measures on U.S.-bound passengers, checking for explosives planted in personal computers and other electronic devices.

Passengers are randomly selected before they board aircraft for the new screening procedures launched in response to a U.S. request and covering carry-on electronic devices bigger than smartphones, including PCs, tablet computers, e-book readers and cameras, airport officials said.

The United States has demanded that so-called Explosive Trace Detectors, which can detect extremely small explosives residue that is invisible to the naked eye, be used for the airport security checks.

So instead of the ban, there's now gonna be longer lines and more security checks when flying to the US from everywhere:

They affect 325,000 airline passengers on about 2,000 commercial flights arriving daily in the US, on 180 airlines from 280 airports in 105 countries.

 

[Conciliator]

we're definitely all going to die now

 

[myca77]

In addition, all personal electronic devices larger than a smartphone will need to be easily accessible and have all cases and covers removed.

No MacBooks allowed?

 

[Whompa02]

The ban itself was laughable at best...I flew in from the Middle East about a month ago and anything bigger than a cellphone was put in a box and wrapped in seran wrap...including cameras and iPads. They then place it on the same plane anyway.

It was fucking pathetic. I didn't feel any safer, at all. Hell I'd expect the TSA to let way worse things through.

Not saying we shouldn't be careful, but the operations and procedures in place or now not in place, were a joke.

 

[Shiggy]

No MacBooks allowed?

It's about cases and covers such as these

 

[Spectone]

The ban itself was laughable at best...I flew in from the Middle East about a month ago and anything bigger than a cellphone was put in a box and wrapped in seran wrap...including cameras and iPads. They then place it on the same plane anyway.

It was fucking pathetic. I didn't feel any safer, at all. Hell I'd expect the TSA to let way worse things through.

Not saying we shouldn't be careful, but the operations and procedures in place or now not in place, were a joke.

I think the idea was that a terrorist could place such a bomb against the side of the aircraft and guarantee that it crashed. If the bomb is placed elsewhere such as in luggage you need more explosives to take down the plane and that risks detection.