The TSA's Selective Laptop Ban
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The TSA's Selective Laptop Ban
1–10 of 118 posts
Re: The TSA's Selective Laptop Ban
#2According to this Guardian article, the ban was caused by a plan to hide a bomb in an iPad: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/26/plot-explosive...
I always thought it was weird that you could keep an iPad packed in your carry on but a laptop had to be scanned separately even if it was a similar size to an iPad.
Re: The TSA's Selective Laptop Ban
#3According to this Guardian article, the ban was caused by a plan to hide a bomb in an iPad: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/26/plot-explosive... I always thought it was weird that you could keep an iPad packed in your carry on but a laptop had to be scanned separately even if it was a similar size to an iPad.
I think that is due to the thickness of a laptop compared to an ipad and some x-ray machines not being powerful enough.
One time I've had to take out my tablets, out of my bag and out of their case even.
Re: The TSA's Selective Laptop Ban
#4According to this Guardian article, the ban was caused by a plan to hide a bomb in an iPad: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/26/plot-explosive... I always thought it was weird that you could keep an iPad packed in your carry on but a laptop had to be scanned separately even if it was a similar size to an iPad.
Every security check in Europe and SE Asia I passed in the last few years (~60 flights) mandated to take every device out of the bag, iPads and smartphones included
Re: The TSA's Selective Laptop Ban
#5Unlike all the other restrictions on material allowed in-flight recently, this ban only applies to specific airports/countries. One must ask why shoebomber or liquid explosive plots resulted in universal bans while this one is country-specific. Imho this is business and politics. This everyday safety mesure is being applied selectively in order to disadvantage some and advantage others. If ipads are a threat, ban them. Dont ban them only on routes dominated by non-US airlines.
I am glad to see that Canada hasnt joined the madness. Flying dubai-new york? Connect through toronto and the kids can keep thier ipads. ... for now.
Re: The TSA's Selective Laptop Ban
#6One explanation I haven't heard, is that this is about the idea that somebody could hack a plane from the passenger compartment. There doesn't even have to be evidence of a concrete plan - it would be enough for someone who knows about these kind of attacks to get the ear of somebody influential in the government, who then proactively enacts this ban. (The hacking story might be a good pretext to convince people internally, while the real motivation might be economic.)
Re: The TSA's Selective Laptop Ban
#7According to this Guardian article, the ban was caused by a plan to hide a bomb in an iPad: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/26/plot-explosive... I always thought it was weird that you could keep an iPad packed in your carry on but a laptop had to be scanned separately even if it was a similar size to an iPad.
I think that is due to the thickness of a laptop compared to an ipad and some x-ray machines not being powerful enough. One time I've had to take out my tablets, out of my bag and out of their case even.
Some (older) laptops were sandwiched between thick metal panes, for EMC and mechanical reasons
Probably not very transparent to x-rays
Re: The TSA's Selective Laptop Ban
#8According to this Guardian article, the ban was caused by a plan to hide a bomb in an iPad: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/26/plot-explosive... I always thought it was weird that you could keep an iPad packed in your carry on but a laptop had to be scanned separately even if it was a similar size to an iPad.
I think that is due to the thickness of a laptop compared to an ipad and some x-ray machines not being powerful enough. One time I've had to take out my tablets, out of my bag and out of their case even.
No, luggage X-rays are extremely powerful, think 120kV or higher. They can easily penetrate inches of steel on the low end.
Re: The TSA's Selective Laptop Ban
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think that is due to the thickness of a laptop compared to an ipad and some x-ray machines not being powerful enough. One time I've had to take out my tablets, out of my bag and out of their case even.
Some (older) laptops were sandwiched between thick metal panes, for EMC and mechanical reasons Probably not very transparent to x-rays
Completely transparent as far as a luggage X-ray is concerned, they're very high power because they don't have to care about exposure limits like medical imaging would. They usually have multiple attenuators and detectors so they can do neat tricks like detection of organic materials.
Re: The TSA's Selective Laptop Ban
#10One explanation I haven't heard, is that this is about the idea that somebody could hack a plane from the passenger compartment. There doesn't even have to be evidence of a concrete plan - it would be enough for someone who knows about these kind of attacks to get the ear of somebody influential in the government, who then proactively enacts this ban. (The hacking story might be a good pretext to convince people inte…
But, that has the same problem as the "hollow laptop is a bomb" scenario - terrorists can simply route through a major European hub to avoid the ban.