Most Electronics Being Banned on Certain US-Bound Flights • Hacker News Board

Re: Most Electronics Being Banned on Certain US-Bound Flights

#31

Post by belorn » Mon, Mar 20, 2017, 11:20 PM UTC

salesguy222 wrote: post #10

You look at this and say to yourself, "this doesn't make any sense! i don't get how allowing cell phones and 'medical devices' (nebulous term) into carry ons, but demanding that laptops go into checked baggage is keeping us safe!" And you're right! It isn't. But then you realize that the special interests that came up with this policy were paid LARGE SUMS OF MONEY to impress Trump and all of his supporters and career…

Does it make more sense than the previous security procedure that everyone passengers had to take off their shoes and have them scanned?

Or the current ban on liquids?

Or the even better idea I saw in Brussels airport of two semi-identical security checks; one to get into the airport and then the "regular" second one. I can only wait for the next improved version of three security checkpoints, which will add 50% more secure then the current two.

After 9/11, sensibility went out the window. This new move is quite far from the stupidest I have seen.

Re: Most Electronics Being Banned on Certain US-Bound Flights

#32

Post by goldenkey » Mon, Mar 20, 2017, 11:20 PM UTC

salesguy222 wrote: post #10

You look at this and say to yourself, "this doesn't make any sense! i don't get how allowing cell phones and 'medical devices' (nebulous term) into carry ons, but demanding that laptops go into checked baggage is keeping us safe!" And you're right! It isn't. But then you realize that the special interests that came up with this policy were paid LARGE SUMS OF MONEY to impress Trump and all of his supporters and career…

The TSA wasnt any better under Obama... Don't spin this into a Trump issue

Re: Most Electronics Being Banned on Certain US-Bound Flights

#33

Post by harlanlewis » Mon, Mar 20, 2017, 11:21 PM UTC

coldcode wrote: post #2

I have no idea what the point of this is.

> the ban will apply to nonstop flights to the U.S. from 10 airports in eight countries in the Middle East and North Africa

Personal electronics are near-indispensable. By restricting their carry from Muslim countries, freedom of movement to and from those countries is significantly curtailed. This is about getting around the illegality of the Muslim ban without banning any persons or groups. This is about "cultural protectionism" through isolationism, not terrorism, and it's not even trying particularly hard to pretend otherwise.

Re: Most Electronics Being Banned on Certain US-Bound Flights

#34

Post by komali2 » Mon, Mar 20, 2017, 11:22 PM UTC

I believe the UK tried this once and I remember reading that thefts were skyrocketing as a result. I'm struggling to find a source though, so this is just my poor memory and hearsay right now.

Re: Most Electronics Being Banned on Certain US-Bound Flights

#35

Post by jaimex2 » Mon, Mar 20, 2017, 11:22 PM UTC

snowwrestler wrote: post #4

Maybe TSA was up late one night surfing back through the XKCD archive: https://xkcd.com/651/

First thing that came to my mind :)

Re: Most Electronics Being Banned on Certain US-Bound Flights

#36

Post by jpalomaki » Mon, Mar 20, 2017, 11:25 PM UTC

coldcode wrote: post #2

I have no idea what the point of this is.

These parts of the article provides plausible explanation:

"Brian Jenkins, an aviation-security expert at the Rand Corp., said the nature of the security measure suggested that it was driven by intelligence of a possible attack."

"The ban would begin just before Wednesday's meeting of the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State group in Washington. A number of top Arab officials were expected to attend the State Department gathering. It was unclear whether their travel plans were related to any increased worry about security threats."

Re: Most Electronics Being Banned on Certain US-Bound Flights

#37

Post by jaimex2 » Mon, Mar 20, 2017, 11:26 PM UTC

Wonder how long before you have to check in everything, including clothing where you have to fly in jumpsuites given to you.

Re: Most Electronics Being Banned on Certain US-Bound Flights

#38

Post by darawk » Mon, Mar 20, 2017, 11:26 PM UTC

salesguy222 wrote: post #10

You look at this and say to yourself, "this doesn't make any sense! i don't get how allowing cell phones and 'medical devices' (nebulous term) into carry ons, but demanding that laptops go into checked baggage is keeping us safe!" And you're right! It isn't. But then you realize that the special interests that came up with this policy were paid LARGE SUMS OF MONEY to impress Trump and all of his supporters and career…

This is actually fairly rational. I mean, all this airport security stuff is stupid security theater. However, if you're going to do it, you should absolutely ban laptops.

Relevant XKCD: https://xkcd.com/651/

Re: Most Electronics Being Banned on Certain US-Bound Flights

#39

Post by Svexark » Mon, Mar 20, 2017, 11:27 PM UTC

Thank you for your reasonable comment. You're going to get down voted into oblivion for it though. The right to privacy, drone strikes, budgets, Russia, etc. aren't issues until the D after someone's name turns into an R. Get with the program or lose all your internet points, man.

Re: Most Electronics Being Banned on Certain US-Bound Flights

#40

Post by adrienne » Mon, Mar 20, 2017, 11:27 PM UTC

praneshp wrote: post #30

Which countries? From the article, I can glean Saudi and Jordan. Pretty poor journalism (or reading ability on my part)

Literally nobody knows. The info hasn't been released, none of the airlines know who the other airlines notified are, and it seems very clear that Jordanian Air violated the "terms" of the bulletin by even making their announcement.