Citing intelligence that terrorists are targeting commercial flights by "smuggling explosives in portable electronic devices," both the United States and Britain have banned such devices from being carried on aircraft from multiple countries and airlines, requiring that they be instead placed in checked baggage.
The ban poses issues for photographers and videographers, who typically avoid checking delicate equipment. Officials did not elaborate on the specifics of the threat, but sources indicated that terrorist groups are working on creating such devices. Cell phones and medical devices are excluded from the ban, however, which airlines have a few days to put into effect. Here's a complete of affected airports:
United States
- Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) in Jordan
- Cairo International Airport (CAI) in Egypt
- Ataturk International Airport (IST) in Turkey
- King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED), King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Saudi Arabia
- Kuwait International Airport (KWI) in Kuwait
- Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) in Morocco
- Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Qatar
- Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) in the United Arab Emirates
Britain
The British ban also applies to some cell phones and will apply to all airports in the countries below:
- Turkey
- Lebanon
- Jordan
- Egypt
- Tunisia
- Saudi Arabia
If you're traveling from any of these airports in the future, be sure to take this into consideration when packing your gear. As of now, the U.S. ban remains in effect until at least October 14 of this year, with no word on the timeframe for the British ban.
[via Washington Post]
Yep. Every country subsidises its airlines, including the US. That's why they have to hide behind this ridiculous "security" excuse to sanction countries that are doing it even more effectively than they are.
What subsidies do American airlines get? How much, and how do they compare to those from the Middle East?
We are talking about airlines. Do you know of any American airlines that do?
Even if we accept that they do, if foreign ones receive far more subsidies then unfair competition would still be the result.
Just research quickly in google. It's easily accessible information.
This is just a case of american airlines not being happy that their own strategy is being used against them.
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All airlines do that. You have to pay for more room.
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