THE Trump administration is considering plans to extend the ban on passengers having large electronics in the cabin of a plane on flights from the UK.
Any sort of ban would affect the 76 US-bound flights that take off from Manchester Airport each week, with the US Transportation Security Administration directive believed to be active until 14 October.
The news comes after the UK joined the US in banning laptops, tablets and other electronic equipment in hand baggage on routes from more than six countries.
The US government already has a ban on large electronics on direct flights from airports across eight countries in the middle east which covers Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The move was criticised by some travel experts, who claimed that the new regulations were appeared to be “at odds” with basic computer science, as it only excluded electronics larger than a smartphone.
It is believed that having larger items checked in with hold luggage will allow security to carry out more extensive screening.
Speaking about any potential expansion of the existing restrictions, David Lapan from the US Department of Homeland Security said:
“We will continue to evaluate the threat environment and make determinations based on that assessment.
“We have not made any decisions on expanding the current restrictions against large electronic devices in aircraft cabins from selected airports.”
The direct route between Manchester and San Francisco dubbed ‘Man-Fran,’ would also be hit hard, and would surely be concerning as it hoped to encourage trade links and “super commuting” between the two cities.
Asma Younus, who works for a travel management company based near Manchester Airport and is a travel blogger at Jet Set Chick, highlighted the concerns that imposing the ban would bring:
“Working full-time for a business travel management company and spending my spare time as a travel blogger, I think it’s pretty safe to say the laptop ban is a huge inconvenience,” she explained.
“On most days, from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed, every second of my time is mapped out, so journey times to near or far flung destinations are crucial for catching up on various projects.
“But by far the most concerning part is knowing that there is a possibility of lost luggage or theft.
“Items can be replaced but the work that is stored on them is priceless. Not only would actual work time be lost, but the thought of arriving at a destination for work purposes without any equipment would be disastrous.”
The UK had initially mirrored the US ban, albeit in six countries of interest, but Europe refused to follow the same route, causing concerns that the rules were being undermined. Now Britain could find themselves subject to similar treatment.
A spokesperson for the Department for Transport in the UK was unable to comment on the rumours, but did say:
“The safety and security of the travelling public is our highest priority and we keep our aviation security matters under constant review.
“But we wouldn’t comment on speculation on whether the US may or may not be considering changing its security measures.
“That’s a matter for the US authorities to deal with.”
Featured image credit: Smabs Sputzer/Flickr
By Tom Woods
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