To wonder how people will work on planes?

[KenAdams]

The new rules about no laptops in the cabin seem very restrictive for people who are travelling on business.

AIBU to think it's too restrictive? Surely a laptop bomb anywhere on the plane will cause significant damage?

My Australian friend is beside himself. Most Aussies, who do in fact fly for business, pass through the Middle Eastern airports b/c the others do not offer the full range of connections without insane lay-overs to Europe. He sees this as a nearly fatal kick in the teeth to Qantas.

Beside himself? Over security

There isn't a restriction for Dubai though.

It is ridiculous to stop people using lap tops etc on planes.
If I fly I am the paying customer, if I am paying surely it is up to me what I do (as long as it is legal and decent)
In the UK, as far as I know, the law is that everyone is presumed innocent until proved guilty by a court, that means that no-one flying to the UK is guilty of anything; so why "punish" them by stopping them using their lap-top?
I've flown to meetings and worked on the journey, if I was not able to work, (and these days a lap top is essential), I'd have wasted all those hours, that is not good for the economy.

I don't quite see the Aussie problem. Layovers are just as likely to be Singapore as ME (and of course not every ME airport is on the list). And airlines will reschedule to work round it,

It is however as clear as mud right now. I'm sure there is a grand plan which makes enough sense. But it has not been well communicated.

There isn't a restriction for Dubai though.
there is on the US list

If I fly I am the paying customer, if I am paying surely it is up to me what I do
Do you submit to security checks?
Do you carry fluids onto the plane?

I'm not at all knowledgable about technology but couldn't a plane's system be hacked from anywhere?

Planes have WiFi. That means you're plugged (albeit wirelessly) into the system.

Now, anyone with an ounce of brain would keep the plane's running system and the entertainment system completely separate - both in terms of firewall etc but also different fucking wiring! - but unfortunately there have been cases of this being imperfect (off the top of my head, someone being able to turn the lights on and off).

And airlines will reschedule to work round it,
How will Qatar schedule away from Doha ?
How will Emirates schedule away from Dubai?
How will Turkish schedule away from Istanbul?

I've flown to meetings and worked on the journey, if I was not able to work, (and these days a lap top is essential), I'd have wasted all those hours, that is not good for the economy.

I don't agree with the rest of your post, but this is pertinent.

If DH works through a flight (bearing in mind he goes out to various places including Central and South America which involve bloody long flights) then that's a day work getting done. For the customer, that can often means a reduction in costs such as hotel stays (because the trip can be a couple of days shorter). For the company, it means they aren't paying him to sit on his arse.

"If I fly I am the paying customer, if I am paying surely it is up to me what I do"

Nothing to stop you choosing a routing that lets you take the devices you want with you, or using a private plane, rather than a scheduled of chartered service that us bound by government rules,

Ah ok, thanks MrsH
It just crossed my mind that we hear of people on one continent hacking computers on another so I wondered if it would be possible to do similar with a plane.

Ah I just looked at the British restrictions. Thanks *talk1npeace"

I was referring to the Aussie problem, as mentioned by tarheelbaby and so of course meant airlines such as Qantas (specified in that post).

If was never intended to be a remark about airlines domiciled in the proscribed locations. I regret that I did not meet the required MN drafting standards and apologise for confusion caused and red herrings spawned.

or using a private plane, rather than a scheduled of chartered service that us bound by government rules,
If it lands in the USA its bound by the TSA no matter who owns it ...

Ah, I've just checked.
I'm wrong.
US airlines are not affected by the ban.
Maybe Trump has found a new way to give American companies a competitive advantage

It's not about hacking

As far as I know it stems from a laptop bomb that nearly downed an airliner last year in Somalia.

The bloke chose a window seat so the bomb could blow a hole in the fuselage. Unfortunately for him, but luckily for everyone else, it detonated before the plane had got to a really high altitude. The result was that he got sucked out of the hole he'd created, but the pilot managed to control the plane and land it.

The US says there's intelligence that shows terrorists in the middle east and North Africa want to bring down an airliner using this method.

As a previous poster mentioned, putting laptops etc in the hold would mean such bombs would require far, far more technical sophistication to detonate.

As a previous poster mentioned, putting laptops etc in the hold would mean such bombs would require far, far more technical sophistication to detonate.
Nearly as much as they had for Lockerbie in fact ....
Airlines do not like having laptop batteries in the hold for safety reasons ....

and if it was about safety, not politics,
why are no American or European owned airlines affected ?

If I fly I am the paying customer, if I am paying surely it is up to me what I do. Haha no. You pay for a SEAT. That's it. You don't pay to have the right to override safety rules or security decisions.

Talkinpeace European airlines are affected by the restrictions imposed by the UK including BA. Unlikely the govt would want to damage the national flag carrier unless necessary

Not sure about US airlines but not many have direct flights from the affected countries so maybe that's it. Or perhaps they have better security screening

Also, now Canada is considering imposing the same restrictions. Looks like this may become widespread policy

Ladymetro
Or perhaps they have better security screening
Security screening is done by the airport not the airline
When you queue for the scanner you are not sorted by airline
except El Al but that goes back to the 70's

The worst airports for screening and security that I've been at have been in the USA
One allows incoming domestic passengers to mix with outgoing international passengers

"It only applies to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. Don't think too many people will be travelling to these countries in business."

You have to be kidding, having worked for a global company in the UAE we had consultants flying in and out of those destinations on business weekly, many of them flying from the US and UK.

So if traveling to Europe then can take laptop in hand luggage. Then meet someone after luggage been scanned in duty free or coffee shop give them my laptop they take it on plane. Should I be a terrorist I should not have any bother with this
How are the powers that be going to stop this happening? Luggage will have to be scanned again

A possible solution would be to put the laptop in hold luggage sans battery, and put the battery in hand luggage sans laptop.

Battery has to be easily accessible so any spontaneous fire can be quickly extinguished.

"It only applies to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. Don't think too many people will be travelling to these countries in business"

Delilah what a strange thing to say!

Both my DH and I have flown to two of the countries on that list for work.

British firms supply/service/consult for companies all over the world. Why on earth would you think that these countries wouldn't be included in that?

Everyone will just have to get on with it as best they can. It's inconvenient but not exactly a breach of human rights. I do have sympathy for the visually impaired poster, but a decision like this is unfortunately going to affect a small number of people more than others.