This article was published on May 11, 2017

Rumor: DHS to ban laptops on US-bound flights from Europe today


Rumor: DHS to ban laptops on US-bound flights from Europe today

Traveling to the United States is about to get seriously annoying. The Daily Beast has reported that later today, the Department of Homeland Security will announce that it intends to ban laptops and large electronics on flights from Europe to the US.

This is hardly a surprise. We caught whiff that a ban was in the works at the end of last month. Rumors intensified this week, with several credible persons in the aviation industry confirming the ban was imminent.

Speaking to The Daily Beast, European security officials confirmed the ban will be announced later today. However, the Department of Security has yet to confirm it, saying:

“No final decisions have been made on expanding the restriction on large electronic devices in aircraft cabins; however, it is under consideration. DHS continues to evaluate the threat environment and will make changes when necessary to keep air travelers safe.”

As Ben Schlappig of the travel blog One Mile At A Time pointed out, the language used in the Daily Best article points specifically to a laptop ban, rather than a wholesale prohibition on large electronics.

Could this mean that, unlike flights originating from the Middle East and North Africa, European passengers will be allowed to hang on to their iPads and Kindles? Or is it just clumsy wording on behalf of The Daily Beast?

Who knows. We’ll learn the finer details of the DHS’s latest diktat later today. When we do, we’ll update this post.

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