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US and EU Reject Expanding Laptop Ban To Flights From Europe (bbc.com)

Posted by msmash on from the good-call dept.

An anonymous reader writes: US and EU officials have decided against a ban on laptops and tablets in cabin baggage on flights from Europe. But after a four-hour meeting in Brussels to discuss the threats to aviation security, officials said other measures were still being considered. US officials had previously said they were looking into extending to Europe a ban on electronics on flights from eight mostly Muslim countries. The measure was introduced over fears a bomb could be concealed in a device. The meeting was requested by EU officials after recent reports suggested US authorities had new information regarding laptop parts being turned into explosives.

3 of 87 comments (clear)

  1. Not about security by bluegutang · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If laptops had been banned on flights from Europe, then a terrorist could put an undetectable-laptop-bomb in their luggage from Paris to New York, then pick up their luggage, board a flight from New York to Los Angeles with the laptop in hand, and blow the plane up.

    Banning laptops on international flights would have done nothing about that risk. Therefore, it seems this measure was security theater, not real security. And when it became clear how big the economic effect of banning laptops would be (in terms of dissuading travel), the measure had to be cancelled. Laptops are still banned on flights from the Middle East, but this is a small market without other options, so the economic impact on the US is minimal.

    1. Re:Not about security by FooAtWFU · · Score: 4, Informative

      Have you landed from an international flight in New York or Los Angeles, recently, with a connecting flight? I've only done Atlanta myself, but if I recall correctly, you have to go through both customs and security.

      --
      The World Wide Web is dying. Soon, we shall have only the Internet.
  2. Re:Wasn't the "new information" the Trump/Russian. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    No. He allegedly revealed specifics from an operation in a particular location in Syria that was detailed enough that it was felt that the Russians could have informed Assad, which would have led to the exposure of an Israeli intelligence operation in the country (and endangered the lives of the informants/operatives).

    It was related to laptops, but it was operation-specific.