If you've got travel plans involving the Middle East and Africa, pack some books. The Department of Homeland Security is requiring passengers on some airlines serving those regions to pack their gadgets---cellphones and medical devices excepted---in their checked bags. Reuters, first reported the rule Monday night; the Trump administration confirmed the laptop ban Tuesday morning. And while it seems draconian, it actually does make some sense---especially if it's in response to a specific threat.
The restrictions apply to direct flights between the US and airports in eight countries in the Middle East and Africa: Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Anything bigger than a cellphone---laptops, DVD players, cameras, tablets, and so on---will be relegated to the cargo hold. They also apply only to inbound flights; if you're flying direct to Riyadh, you can keep your iPad in hand.
The #electronicsban bears the marks of a targeted reaction to a specific threat. "It just feels like there was an intel briefing that they had," says Kip Hawley, who ran the TSA between 2005 and 2009. Grouping several airlines and electronic devices in one advisory can protect specific intelligence while defusing the threat and minimizing the number of people impacted by the action, he says.
Allowing cell phones but prohibiting larger devices also makes sense, because smaller devices are less likely to conceal enough explosives or other contraband to cause serious damage. "You actually need physical size to get the pop that you need to knock down a plane," Hawley says. And the cargo hold is a better place for a bomb. An explosion there is surrounded by suitcases, not passengers, and the belly of a plane is robustly reinforced. "You really need a big bomb to knock a plane down underneath the floor," Hawley says. Yes, the threat of a midair explosion supersedes concerns that the lithium-ion batteries powering those laptops and DVD players will catch fire down below.
Screening facilities at US airports should be able to catch explosives hidden in electronic devices, Hawley says, but this ban applies to US-bound flights originating abroad. If the move proves temporary, it could be a way of buying time until the TSA and other agencies can install new equipment or adopt new screening procedures. "It was, 'OK, here's a threat, and while we figure it out, we're gonna stop it in its tracks,'" Hawley says. "And boom, they did it."
One thing you shouldn't expect: an explanation. "I don't think they're gonna tell you where they got their information," says Erik Rigler, a former FBI agent and aircraft accident investigator. Authorities could be acting on information from the FBI, NSA, CIA, DEA, a foreign intelligence unit, or anyone else. The TSA and DHS won't announce when or if the ban will end, either. And, Rigler says, the rule could well spread to other airlines and routes.
So before leaving for the airport, charge your phone, stock up on podcasts, grab a paperback, and maybe buy a magazine or two.
Jack Stewart contributed reporting.
This story has been updated to reflect the official laptop ban announcement.
