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Most Electronics Being Banned on Certain US-Bound Flights

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

#61
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

Multiple checks are not stupid at all. The screening is not 100% reliable and an independent repeat is a reasonable way to improve detections of weapons, which have been shown to get through sometimes in TSA and third-party experiments.

I recall reading that TSA has never actually stopped a real threat to a airplane. The screening is one of the least cost-effective security mechanism in use, so are we suggestion that doubling it and the costs is a reasonable way to improve detections?

A reasonable way to detect threats would be to hire more investigators and bomb dogs patrols. Both has shown to be cost-effective and to produce results, in direct contrast to the TSA screening method.

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

#62
I'm convinced this ban is motivated by a protectionist desire from the US-based airlines, to dissuade business travelers from flying on Middle Eastern airlines like Emirates and Qatar, which necessarily transit through countries like the UAE.

If you're someone who flies for work, there's no way you're going to take a flight where you can't use your laptop.

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

#63
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…

interesting theory. but is keeping you from your laptop (but still allowing a smart phone) really much of a deterrent these days? most younger people are content without a laptop, using their phones quite a bit.

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

#64
post #39

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.

I'd argue that criticizing a new President for taking bad policies even further isn't misguided.

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

#65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The premise you're going with doesn't make much sense. The devices aren't banned, you have to pack them in your luggage. It won't significantly curtail freedom of movement at all.

You're not wrong. I suppose I'd call my own statement a bit weak if this wasn't the third highly targeted policy in the past 2 months - in fact one of the few types of policies this administration has pushed all the way to action. It's possible my lens is broken, but it seems to me none of the policies considering the general populace of the middle east should be considered in isolation.

There's zero question it's intentionally narrowly targeting Islamic terrorism at best, and at worst is a staging ground for how much power of restriction they now have (or can get away with) when it comes to those sorts of things. The same way phone searches are a trial balloon that will inevitably spread to not just the general population at airports but the local / state law enforcement as well.

My point is specifically that I don't believe it'll impede freedom of movement meaningfully. People will simply pack their devices in luggage. Interestingly, it might result in fewer laptop searches at the airports (whereas they might have asked someone to open / turn on / provide a password), among that targeted population.

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

#66

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

Well, both Obama and Trump inherited a pretty broken TSA. That doesn't mean we shouldn't pay attention to whether the organization is improving or getting worse.

Generally I doubt that a president deserves credit, positive or negative, for changes in random agencies like the TSA. Like, does Obama really deserve bonus points for us being able to use cell phones during takeoff+landing? But you have to admit that a country-specific ban has Trump written all over it. People are rightly pointing out why it's a misguided policy.

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

#67
post #31

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…

The security check to get into the airport makes sense if you want to avoid terrorist attacks at the airport.

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

#68
post #67
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

The security check to get into the airport makes sense if you want to avoid terrorist attacks at the airport.

But why not just move the original check then to the edge of the airport, expanding the "safe zone".

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

#69
post #34

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.

The article itself mentions thefts after the UK did this in 2006.

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

#70
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess it's a shoutout to Trump's core supporters that he's still committed to doing "The Right Thing" by putting those brown people in their proper places. (Totally not picked because they're muslim, I swear, wink wink.)

So who was Obama appealing to among his core supporters, when he attacked "brown people" in Syria, Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen?

...Those people who can understand the difference between a temporary stopping of visa processes and a blanket ban that extends to legal green card holders?
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