Although the Department of Homeland Security had been implying that a ban on large electronic devices would go into effect for flights between the U.S. and Europe, that threat seems to have been averted.
On May 17, American and EU officials met in Brussels to discuss a ban on large electronic devices in the cabin, and reports are suggesting that may no longer be an issue.
The Trump administration and Great Britain had imposed these restrictions on flights from some Middle Eastern countries in March. Security officials had apparently received intelligence regarding a specific terror threat related to a laptop computer in the cabin. A terrorist had done precisely that on a Somalian jet in 2016.
Airlines were concerned about the laptop ban for two reasons: First, it’s dangerous to store lithium batteries—the ones used by most laptop computers and tablets—in the cargo hold. One such battery brought down a UPS cargo plane in 2010. Second, options like enhanced screening of passengers and their carry-on luggage had not been fully explored.
Then there’s the Trump issue. The controversy revolves around the fact that the U.S. president may have given classified information about the risk of terrorists using laptops as bombs to Russia’s foreign minister. This may have had some impact on the discussion about the laptop ban and given the airlines a chance to dodge the bullet, so to speak.
Revenue also figured in. According to The Economist, business- and first-class seats account for only 13 percent of transatlantic passengers but provide half the revenue. Not only that, but the International Air Transport Association (IATA) says that if executives couldn’t work on planes, it could cost the industries in which they work about $65 million in lost productivity.
Business travelers are often forbidden to put company computers in cargo because of the potential for theft or loss of sensitive information. Those of us who are writers or other creative professionals also often relish the chance to work on our projects while in transit.
We hope it’s true that the laptop ban on transatlantic flights is no longer a possibility, but since there has been no official statement on the subject yet, we’ll have to wait and see.