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posted by on Tuesday March 21 2017, @09:35PM   Printer-friendly
from the pure-coincidence dept.

Vague and secretive order bans devices larger than a phone on certain flights to US

It looks like the TSA has finally got round to reading XKCD 651. They have quietly banned electronic devices "larger than a phone" from the cabins of all airlines from a list of 13 countries. It isn't clear whether the ban affects electronic devices used by the aircraft's crew, for example the "electronic flight bag" used by the flight crew, which typically include a tablet.

The affected airlines have just 96 hours to comply.

US Bans Tablets and Laptops on Flights From Eight Muslim-Majority Countries

The Department of Homeland Security today announced new carry-on restrictions for flights to the US from eight Middle Eastern countries, confirming reports from yesterday that such a ban would be implemented as soon as this week. The restrictions forbid electronic devices larger than a smartphone from being carried in the cabin of the airplane, including laptops, tablets, e-readers, cameras, portable DVD players, and handheld gaming devices (larger than a smartphone).

Those devices can, however, all be placed into checked baggage. Neither DHS nor the Transportation Security Administration provided a firm rationale for the ban, how it chose which airports would be embroiled in the new security measures, or whether the ban is in any way related to an active terrorist plot. News of the ban first began percolating online yesterday when the Royal Jordanian airline partially disclosed it in a since-deleted tweet, which was framed as a message for passengers.

"Evaluated intelligence indicates that terrorist groups continue to target commercial aviation, to include smuggling explosive devices in various consumer items," reads a DHS press release put out this morning. "Based on this trend, the Transportation Security Administration, in consultation with relevant Departments and Agencies, has determined it is prudent to enhance security, to include airport security procedures for passengers at certain last point of departure airports to the United States."

The action will affect nine airlines in eight countries across 10 airports, senior administration officials confirmed in a press briefing Monday. The list of countries includes Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Morocco, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. The list of airlines affected includes Royal Jordanian, Egypt Air, Turkish Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Etihad Airways. The order is being issued as a security directive from the TSA. Airlines will have 96 hours to comply or the DHS will work with the FAA to revoke clearance for those airlines to land in the US, officials said.

Source: The Verge

Other outlets covering this story: Ars Technica The Register


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  • (Score: 2) by maxwell demon on Wednesday March 22 2017, @08:44AM (2 children)

    by maxwell demon (1608) on Wednesday March 22 2017, @08:44AM (#482608) Journal

    your only recourse is to exit the area as quickly as possible, which isn't easy to do at 30,000 ft.

    Actually it's very easy. Just open the door, and the pressure difference will get you out faster than you could get out on yourself.

    You didn't say anything about surviving, did you? ;-)

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 22 2017, @08:54AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 22 2017, @08:54AM (#482611)

    You said "easy", though. The door opens against the pressure, so you'd have to open it before the plane gains height, thus losing the pressure difference that would make getting out so fast - and be pretty hard to explain to the flight attendants... "It's such a nice weather outside, let's leave the door open". That or bring a hydraulic jack to open it, and be prepared to be sucked out before the hole is large enough to fit comfortably through.

  • (Score: 2) by VLM on Wednesday March 22 2017, @11:57AM

    by VLM (445) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday March 22 2017, @11:57AM (#482666)

    A hot enough fire will make its own door, "china syndrome" like.

    There are a couple problems in that planes get holes all the time from explosives, bullets, fires, metal fatigue, and it usually doesn't bring down the plane.

    So a hard sci-fi alt-hist military-fic book plot would be a worst case scenario of middle of pacific flying over a hurricane at FL390 and the descent to 8000 feet or so puts the plane in a hurricane and due to fuel efficiency things Maybe (unlikely but maybe) the plane with a hole at 8K flying below max eff speed doesn't have the range to make it to land.

    I don't think thats actually possible mathematically. Even pretty deep into stall I think a LA to Tokyo could divert to Hawaii or another island if it had more than half its fuel half way there. But not being mathematically possible usually hasn't stopped hollywood movies or military-fic book plots before, so ...

    I think a better book plot or hollywood plot than taking out 250 people in some ocean in the middle of nowhere and maybe no one sees anything again via some ridiculous rube goldberg device, is the more likely take out 250 people in a crowded security checkpoint surrounded by cameras and soon news cameras, where you can roll anything you want into the line. Now all you need to do to prevent that is have a checkpoint before the checkpoint and then its turtles all the way down.