
Even before last Wednesday’s horrific terror attack in London, tougher security measures were being introduced on flights from certain countries. Understandably, this important information may have been missed, so here are all the details you need to know.
The new rules
Laptops and tablets need to be placed into hold luggage on all flights from Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. Affected airlines include BA, Easyjet, Jet2.com, Monarch, Thomson and Thomas Cook.
Any device bigger than 16cm long, 9.3cm wide or 1.5cm deep will need to be placed in the hold – which could even be your smart phone, but most fall inside these limits.
Devices affected include Kindles, iPads, e-readers, tablets, laptops and Microsoft Surface PCs.
Why?
These new measures are not in response to any new specific terror threat, but follow the USA’s similar ban on electronic items from 10 airports in majority-Muslim countries.
The general principle is that bombs placed into hold luggage require a timing device to detonate, and are therefore likely to be more complicated and easier to pick up by security screening. Whereas a terrorist in possession of a bomb can active it themselves easily.
In 2016 a bomb was smuggled aboard a Somalian plane disguised in a laptop. The bomb was sophisticated enough to pass through the x-ray machines undetected and was subsequently detonated on-board.
Travel insurance
Just as in last month’s article: Valuables In Hand Luggage Are Not Covered If Placed In The Aircraft Hold – laptops and tablets in your hold luggage are more than likely uninsured. Make sure you read the policy document for your travel insurance to see if laptops in the hold are covered. They probably aren’t!