In March, the Trump administration took the suspicious step of banning laptops from the cabin in flights from certain airports. At the time, it was widely viewed as a political move and one that actually made flights less safe. But if we’ve seen any behavior from the Trump administration, it’s doubling down in the face of criticism, and, reportedly, that’s exactly what’s happening.
The Daily Beast has received word from European air security authorities that a ban on laptops in the cabin in flights from Europe might happen as soon as Thursday. The justification is the same offered in March, that terrorists have supposedly managed to create bombs that can be hidden in laptop batteries, powerful enough to down a plane.
The problem, as we’ve noted, is that while terrorist bombings are rare, lithium batteries igniting are a lot more common, and pilots prefer flammable objects near fire extinguishers and humans that can put them out. And it’s not clear why this ban is expanding to Europe, as well, except as a potential attempt to punish state-run airlines. Of course, this could be simple scuttlebutt, or a temporary order until the supposed threat is found, but travelers and air crews will likely be unhappy until it’s fixed.
(Via The Daily Beast)