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The media is absolutely stupid when it comes to aviation related stuff. Sensational pictures sell a lot better than boring stories of corporate collusion and lobbying.

I also think that this is caused by the new protectionism and economical reasons since I see no difference between a laptop in the cabin and in the checked luggage as to security. In today's world you can disguise and justify everything if you label it "for security reasons" . But a good part of the public applauds restrictions whenever a threat and enforcement of security is proclaimed. Others don't care about new rules. As usual most of the proponents aren't affected by the restrictions, of course, because they don't need a laptop on the trip or just use smartphones for photos etc. And even if the official statement is true the situation becomes more and more paranoid and unbalanced. There's no total security if you still want to keep a fraction of civil liberties and of the free world that is continuosly shrinking anyway. Now we have the attacks in London and had it in Berlin and Nice (France)  before. You'd need to ban people walking on the streets resp. sidewalks or at least dictate them the ways to walk if you want to avoid these kind of risks. And even then, they will find other ways. Politicians here proclaim that the society will keep and defend our way of free life. But the contrary is true and the train permanently goes into the opposite direction so that the extremists are on the best way to reach their goal. So what is next ? No smartphones in the cabin since they can manipulate them too ? But as said, I don't believe in the security reason.

I don't know if I could find a solution to circumnavigate the ban of laptops in the cabin. But putting the $$$$$ equipment in the checked luggage definetely is a no go for me. I never had my gear checked on all my travels worldwide. The airlines don't take any resonsiblity if the equipment is damaged or stolen. The new rules will not change that. But even if you could get some payment from them in the end, you're screwed if you arrive at the remote destination you travelled to for photography and your cameras or lenses are defective or miscalibrated at least. On each trip you can watch the checked luggage being thrown around on the trolleys and dropped down on the conveyor belts which would leave you with a good chance of damaged gear, not to mention a theft or loss. On my last trip, my massive hard protective case was dented and damages of the cases also happened twice to my wife on earlier trips. So that's no exception.
I also suppose that this is just the beginning and other airlines will follow the rules of the so-called leaders of the West in order to make money from additional checked luggage. As you know, the UK were first in the line and immediately proclaimed the ban, too. I don't know if the lobbyists of the big business world will find a way to circumnavigate the ban of laptops in the end. Regarding the equipment there's certainly not a big problem for the press agencies and sports shooters either who have their gear and support at the locations. But I don't see a solution for the average freelance photographer or amateur since they have no audience or lobby. I'm glad that I could see many places in the past since this could very well be the end of travelling for photography for me in the end. In fact, very sad news for photogs, IMO

Wolfgang
 

WJaekel wrote:I also think that this is caused by the new protectionism and economical reasons since I see no difference between a laptop in the cabin and in the checked luggage as to security. In today's world you can disguise and justify everything if you label it "for security reasons" .  And even if the official statement is true the situation becomes more and more paranoid and unbalanced. There's no total security if you still want to keep a fraction of civil liberties and of the free world that is continuosly shrinking anyway Politicians here proclaim that the society will keep and defend our way of free life. But the contrary is true and the train permanently goes into the opposite direction so that the extremists are on the best way to reach their goal. 

Wolfgang
 

Red lettering added by Joe.

Our freedoms to choose are rapidly diminishing in so many facets of our lives. Money rules and we lose. Freelance photographers can hardly take any more hits, but now we are facing proposals regarding healthcare that would eliminate the requirement for insurances to cover emergency room visits, maternity care, prescription drugs and mental health care (boy are we going to need that soon). (Reference link below)..This is to reduce premiums, so what will they cover? We can hardly call freelancing "making a living" anymore. I quit trying long ago and just call my efforts a financial loss, but a free life found for those years I've tried. With every additional cost or stumbling block placed in our path, there will be very few photographers making a living doing what they love. Even those who make money leading workshops are going to take a big hit with this new electronics rule.

http://www.vox.com/2017/3/22/15030214/e ... nciliation

Joe

Bet a lot of travelers will be buying huge cell phones.

Interesting how right from the start (9/11) added security levels have given the public a sense of safety as the politicians claim to be problem solvers, but as stated above, when taken too far the real losers have been our own freedoms and liberties. Does this mean the terrorists have won? After all it is a stated goal to disrupt western society.
What has the big businesses of Canon, Nikon, Sony, Sigma have to say? And what does NANPA have to say?

Paul

Time to invest in a Pelican

Pelican cases won't help. Theft will be the major problem in checking gear. And don't think a TSA lock will help.

EGrav wrote:Pelican cases won't help. Theft will be the major problem in checking gear. And don't think a TSA lock will help.

Anytime I have ever used a TSA lock, it was gone when picking up luggage on the other side.

I have had TSA locks opened. I have never lost one. Most of the time, I zip tie the zipper also. I have had them cut away.

E.J. Peiker wrote:

EGrav wrote:Pelican cases won't help. Theft will be the major problem in checking gear. And don't think a TSA lock will help.

Anytime I have ever used a TSA lock, it was gone when picking up luggage on the other side.

Same here, every lock I have every put on my luggage was removed. Waste of time....

Posted in jest folks - I have no intention of handing over my camera gear to the belly of the beast

A big question is whether lenses will be grouped with "electronic devices". They have no independent power source and much fewer electronics than a cell phone. I might be able to live with checking camera bodies more comfortably than trying to safely package glass.
Many years ago the luggage handlers managed to crush two fishing reels in my checked in luggage, so nothing is safe

More on the subject here:

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/ ... rity-rules

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/american- ... 00712.html

Looks like the objectives are being accomplished!

Joe

Today's update from Market Watch is that this ban may extend to all European flights: https://goo.gl/6AhvjP

I have already curtailed my air travel, particularly to Europe, but this will make me not want to go there at all. My trips are mostly work related and without my laptop I am dead in the water.

Thanks for the heads up. I leave tomorrow for Europe and return in about two weeks. I sure hope I miss any extension of the travel ban.

It seems with Europe now about to be included in the ban of large electronics in the cabin; that this is more than the US carriers wanting to get on an even footing with middle eastern airlines. If this is indeed a "real threat"  it won't be all that long before they start enacting something similar in the US :evil:  Is anybody willing to put their laptop in cargo? And if it is a real threat they'll ban large electronics in the cargo as well. Forget about photographers what will business people do without their laptops?

I don't think it ever was about "US carriers wanting to get on an even footing with middle eastern airlines." Unfortunately, the ban will probably spread to US domestic flights eventually. The radical Muslims have figured out how to sneak explosives through electronics without detection. Big problem for me - I will not check $$$$ camera/lenses/laptops, etc. Not just because of possible damage (you can protect equipment pretty well to handle that) but accidental loss or more likely - theft. Sucks.... 

signgrap wrote:It seems with Europe now about to be included in the ban of large electronics in the cabin; that this is more than the US carriers wanting to get on an even footing with middle eastern airlines. If this is indeed a "real threat"  it won't be all that long before they start enacting something similar in the US :evil:  Is anybody willing to put their laptop in cargo? And if it is a real threat they'll ban large electronics in the cargo as well. Forget about photographers what will business people do without their laptops?

It's utter BS, there is nothing about any of these devices that make them safer if in the cargo hold.  In fact, until this idiotic policy, it wasn't legal to put a laptop in the cargo hold due to the risk of LiIon battery fire so apparently now that isn't a risk but keeping it in the cabin is?  If somebody wants to turn an electronic device into some sort of weapon, they can make that happen in the cargo hold too.  I don't get the rationale at all.

E.J. Peiker wrote:

signgrap wrote:It seems with Europe now about to be included in the ban of large electronics in the cabin; that this is more than the US carriers wanting to get on an even footing with middle eastern airlines. If this is indeed a "real threat"  it won't be all that long before they start enacting something similar in the US :evil:  Is anybody willing to put their laptop in cargo? And if it is a real threat they'll ban large electronics in the cargo as well. Forget about photographers what will business people do without their laptops?

It's utter BS, there is nothing about any of these devices that make them safer if in the cargo hold.  In fact, until this idiotic policy, it wasn't legal to put a laptop in the cargo hold due to the risk of LiIon battery fire so apparently now that isn't a risk but keeping it in the cabin is?  If somebody wants to turn an electronic device into some sort of weapon, they can make that happen in the cargo hold too.  I don't get the rationale at all.

I agree...I did read one article that quoted some official saying that the surrounding luggage would be able to limit the damage. But I don't believe that.

EGrav wrote:

E.J. Peiker wrote:

signgrap wrote:It seems with Europe now about to be included in the ban of large electronics in the cabin; that this is more than the US carriers wanting to get on an even footing with middle eastern airlines. If this is indeed a "real threat"  it won't be all that long before they start enacting something similar in the US :evil:  Is anybody willing to put their laptop in cargo? And if it is a real threat they'll ban large electronics in the cargo as well. Forget about photographers what will business people do without their laptops?

It's utter BS, there is nothing about any of these devices that make them safer if in the cargo hold.  In fact, until this idiotic policy, it wasn't legal to put a laptop in the cargo hold due to the risk of LiIon battery fire so apparently now that isn't a risk but keeping it in the cabin is?  If somebody wants to turn an electronic device into some sort of weapon, they can make that happen in the cargo hold too.  I don't get the rationale at all.

I agree...I did read one article that quoted some official saying that the surrounding luggage would be able to limit the damage. But I don't believe that.

Thats even a bigger line of horse puckey - how do they know what piece of luggage has electronics in it so that they surround it with "buffering luggage" - utter BS.