British Airways BANS passengers from US flights if their mobiles are not charged

[dipsydoodle]

British Airways announced tough new security measures last night which will see passengers barred from US-bound flights if their electronic devices are not charged up.

In preventing passengers from flying, the airline is going one step further than the guidelines issued on Sunday.

These stated that gadgets will be confiscated before boarding if their owner fails to switch them on and prove they are not packed with explosives.

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But British Airways’ rules could see travellers with uncharged electronic devices – some of which are notorious for having short battery lives – not only lose their gadgets but also their seats on the flight.

And unwitting passengers whose batteries have run out during a stop-over, before taking a connecting flight to the US, face being stranded, unable to continue their journey.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2683951/Now-BA-bans-passengers-US-flights-mobile-isnt-charged-Airline-announces-tough-new-security-measures.html#ixzz36uPEiati

Airport security: you won't fly to the US if your mobile phone battery is dead.

Holidaymakers and business travellers who arrive at airport security with uncharged mobile phones or other electrical items will be stopped from boarding planes bound for the United States and effectively treated like “terrorists”.

British Airways said passengers who failed to turn on devices when asked will be immediately banned from their US flight and have to reschedule, even if they offer to abandon the item or send it on separately.

Britain’s main airline warned that even a new device bought in the airport lounge after passing through security will have to be charged up or the passenger will not be allowed to board at the gate. Any transfer passenger whose device has gone flat on the first leg will also be prevented from their onward travel unless they can recharge first.

It is the toughest stance taken since America ordered extra security checks on direct flights amid fears al-Qaeda has developed a new bomb that can evade current controls. It was announced on the ninth anniversary of the 7/7 terrorist bombings in London.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/10952671/Airport-security-you-wont-fly-to-the-US-if-your-mobile-phone-battery-is-dead.html

[CBGLuthier]

1. I see the world continues to lose its fucking mind.

Paranoia and fear .

[NightWatcher]

2. what the fuck are the worried about?

Men, women, and children are butchered daily here by guns, but they wont even mention that. One asshole tries to light his shoes on fire and we all have to take our shoes off at the airport? (I forgot who said this but it's the truth)

If AQ really wants to down an airliner, why just use one of the stinger missiles that are floating around the black markets of the world with "Made in the USA" proudly stamped on the bottom? Or they could send a a bomb through cargo, because everyone knows that they don't screen all the overnight priority packages (too much time, cant be late)


What if my cell phone runs out of battery on the long ass flight from the UK because I forgot my charger and really want to beat (insert catchy game du jour here)?

[Tetris_Iguana]

3. Security theatre enters another chapter...

All of this is readily circumvented by a manpad which any halfwit organization can obtain.

If someone wanted to attack America, it would've happened already.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

4. What's to stop the bomb maker from rigging the device to light up?

I mean, I'm no phone/computer expert but it seems like that would be relatively easy to do.

Maybe TSA should make us take a selfie and twitter it to #thisisnotabomb

[Throd]

28. Why can't a functional phone also be a bomb?

It wouldn't need to be powerful enough to blow up a plane, but maybe powerful enough to wound a critical function and make it crash.

I know nothing about microbombs, just thinkin' out loud.

[malaise]

5. Unless you have bought a new phone and don't want to purchase a SIM card until you

are back home, who would not have their phone charged?

[dipsydoodle]

7. There seem to be no exceptions

Virgin Atlantic have also said they will rearrange flights where necessary and give complete refunds if flights have yet to commence.

Whatever - I can get to the majority of the planet with short ferries and a Jeep.

[uppityperson]

8. someone who did not notice it was low or hadn't been around a place to charge it?

Or maybe they were talking to someone on the way to the airport and the phone went empty.

[malaise]

17. I can only see that happening on a very long flight

I know I always charge my phone before heading for airports.
Maybe I'm obsessive but I don't want to land anywhere and not have a charged phone.

[KoKo]

9. What if your flight was delayed or cancelled and you

used up your battery finding new flight and alerting those who were expecting you? Or, you had to do a lot of business on your phone while waiting at airport and the charging station was "down" (for whatever reason) or there were too many people trying to charge at same time?

What else could go wrong where this would be a real hardship?

Maybe purchasing a throw away phone to use in emergency in addition to your charged up regular phone would be the solution.

[dipsydoodle]

11. Expect to find

some Galaxys and iPhones in wastebins along with bottles of water near security checkins.

[KoKo]

24. Good Pikin's in those leavin's......

I always wondered about the Resale Value of our confiscated items since "9/11." My partner brought back a jar of Preserves from Germany as a treat gift from a business friend...and it was an exclusive berry of some kind from a region in Germany famous for gourmet jams/jellies...but it was said to possibly contain "explosives in the jel." The TSA took it.

Imagine all the items that are sold as "Government Surplus" confiscated or on a black market or E-Bay by the clever. Big windfall there for someone.

[malaise]

18. Those are possibilities but I'm sure I can find a bathroom and charge it

I must pick up a cheap phone for emergencies with my points.

My bet is that some smart folks will open a charge up shops in airports.

[KoKo]

25. So much money to be made off of "Enhanced Security Alerts."

Good Business Opportunities there... Unless we know who gets the lucrative contracts for the "Emergency Charge Stations"...it would sound very good... Suspect it is not for an enterprising, ordinary unemployed tech/telecom worker without big money backing, though. But, who knows?

[pnwmom]

6. So bring an extra battery or instant charger for your phone.

And make sure your computer battery isn't dying before you leave.

[dipsydoodle]

10. That thought occured to me

but I not sure they'll allow loose batteries - would defeat the object of confirming an apparent flat battery in a phone wasn't semtex.

[pnwmom]

12. How would it defeat it? Remove the dead battery and replace it with a new one.

If it works, it works.

But if I were flying, I'd do this before I went through security. Why ask for the extra hassle?

[Gormy Cuss]

29. So British Airways provides charging stations at the airport

which makes sense with this policy.

[pnwmom]

13. My husband remembers having to do this decades ago

before the technology evolved to where they thought it was safe to let people on with these devices without checking the power.

Apparently we're back to where we started.

[Puglover]

14. Jesus.

Have the TSA's IQ's suddenly dropped sharply? How they could go any lower I don't know.

If they feel this moronic law is necessary then just make sure there is an outlet available so they can plug the damned phones in to power them up. They take time to do everything else so why not this? Who doesn't carry a charging cable. People seem to be incapable of breathing with out their cell phones so I can't imagine not having a charger handy.

[mainer]

15. Those who've been camping or visiting third-world countries

might not be able to charge all their devices before getting to the airport.

[betterdemsonly]

16. Not everyone has a cellphone.

What about them?

[MoonRiver]

19. You will be damned to airport hell!

And it really IS hell.

[jmowreader]

20. They wouldn't be affected

It seems that one of the guys we've had sequestered in Gitmo has suddenly, after ten years, slid over to a security guard and told him it's real easy to make a bomb that looks like a cell phone out of Semtex. (Strangely enough, cell phones the color of a brick are not very popular.)

If you don't have a "mobile," you just walk straight through.

[dipsydoodle]

22. I think these get an exemption

[Throd]

31. They'll have to x-ray your carrier pigeon.

[Jeneral2885]

21. soon people will have to travel naked

and eat liquid food on an airline.

[dipsydoodle]

23. Subject now updated by UK's Dept. of Transport

Last edited Tue Jul 8, 2014, 07:00 PM - Edit history (1)

Uncharged mobile ban goes global: Now phones and laptops will not be allowed on flights to destinations around world unless fully charged

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2684723/Now-terror-checks-phones-laptops-spread-flights-Middle-East-Africa-BA-u-turns-says-WILL-able-fly-phones-not-charged.html#ixzz36v9BZLeZ

[KoKo]

30. Another Bump Up for the 1% who have either Private or Chartered Jets and the CEO's

and Government Officials who also can use "Private Airway Resources" to travel these days that are on the Corporations Dime and not under the Taxpayers Control. They can take their uncharged cell phones and lap tops and not go through the Security and be on their way.

Great times we live in isn't it? And what about the small business folk who travel? Sort of puts them at a disadvantage Commerce Wise to increase their business ties with foreign countries to do business and hire folks for jobs when they are at a disadvantage like this.

Wonder how this is going to play out....? Will there be huge push back?

[Turbineguy]

26. My phone takes a long time to start up.

It's the new and improved version. That will slow down the line some.

[elfin]

27. Must be "chatter" causing this

If not, then dumb.

[customerserviceguy]

32. I remember having to show the TSA

that my phone was indeed functional some number of years ago. I'm a bit surprised they dropped the requirement.

How hard is it to keep at least a minimal charge on a working phone these days? There are outlets at most major airports, and frankly, if you have enough money to buy an international ticket, then you have enough money to buy a spare battery which can be kept charged, and placed into the phone while on the plane before landing.

I'm no fan of the TSA or security theatre, but when it comes to all the indignities they put people through, this is not a major one.

[dipsydoodle]

33. List now extended to include a range of other electronic devices

such as electrical shavers, travel irons, hairdryers, hair-straighteners and cameras or any other camera equipment.

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British Airways said that customers flying to the United States faced being made to rebook if they were found in possession of an uncharged device.

Alternatively, the airline also said that customers would be able to leave the device behind at an airport if it was unable to charge. They would then be asked to either collect it on their return, or have it forwarded to another address.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28223150