US #ElectronicsBan on flights: What travellers need to know

Travelling to the US has become a roller-coaster headache for most travellers - as the latest ban issued requires travellers on flights originating from 10 specific airports to the US to pack electronic devices,  bigger than a smartphone, into their checked-in baggage. 

While cellphones and medical devices are excluded from the ban, no laptops will be allowed in hand luggage - officially as of Wednesday 22 March.

On Monday 20 March, the US government stated it was temporarily barring passengers on certain flights originating in eight countries and 10 airports from bringing laptops, iPads, cameras and most other electronics in carry-on luggage starting on Tuesday.

AFP reports the reason for the device ban was not immediately clear. US security officials would not comment - See News24's coverage here. 

This follows the much-meligned US Travel ban on seven predominantly Muslim countries Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, which was then suspended by federal judges for being unconstitutional, only for a watered down version to then be put into effect, excluding Irag but still said to discriminate against people on a religious basis.

The latest US Travel-related ban came to light via statements released by Royal Jordanian Airlines and the official news agency of Saudi Arabia, and is said to be indefinite and will come into effect just before Wednesday's meeting of the US-led coalition against the Islamic State group in Washington.

"A number of top Arab officials were expected to attend the State Department gathering. It was unclear whether their travel plans were related to any increased worry about security threats." 

#ElectronicsBan makes theft, damage to property a greater risk - ASATA

Cape Town – Passengers travelling to popular destinations and stopovers such as Doha, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi and Dubai will now be more vulnerable to theft and damage to property as they will be forced to check in valuables like laptops, iPads and cameras. 

This is according to Otto de Vries, CEO of the Association of Southern African Travel Agents (ASATA), saying that while the association "supports any initiatives to improve the safety and security of travellers and the destinations that they visit, the reasons behind these new rules have not been made clear, other than to say that they have been put in place ‘based on the current threat picture’."

On Wednesday, South African Airways put travellers at ease when they issued a statement saying they have not imposed a general ban on the use or carriage of electronic devices on board its flights as the airline has not received any directive from US Department of Transportation or the Federal Aviation Administration to restrict or ban usage of electronic devices on board its aircraft.

According to SAA spokesperson Tlali Tlali, “Customers may continue to use and enjoy their devices in our cabins except for those electronic devices that have specifically been prohibited on board and public/customer notifications to that effect have been made." 

Regardless, ASATA says they are concerned that the recent announcement by the United Kingdom and the United States - banning laptops, tablets, e-readers and several other electronic devices from hand luggage on flights originating from 10 airports - will cost travellers in future. 

Travellers will not be allowed to stow any electronic device larger than 16cm x 9.3cm in their hand luggage in terms of a ban, to come into effect on Friday, 24 March. 

“Traditionally, at check-in, travellers are asked if they have anything valuable in their checked baggage. It would now appear that passengers travelling to the US and UK from affected destinations, even if it is via these destinations, will be forced to include their valuable in their checked baggage risking theft and damage to their property,” De Vries says. 

The big worry, according to ASATA, is who will be responsible if these electronic items are stolen or damaged as travel insurers are clear that this will not be covered in their insurance policies.

De Vries says there are too many grey areas in the new ban. "Will checked bags be screened as thoroughly as hand baggage is? What processes at airports will need to change to accommodate these changes?," he asks. 

“And then, of course, there’s a risk that electronic devices may be stolen, and if the bag has been breached is that not in itself a security threat?” De Vries notes.  

Emirates introduces new laptop handling service for US flights

 The largest gulf carrier Emriates has introduced a new service to enable customers to use their laptops and tablet devices until just before they board their flights to the US.  

It says, "Emirates customers travelling to the US via Dubai will be able to utilise their laptops and tablet devices on the first part of their journeys, and also during transit in Dubai. They must then declare and hand over their laptops, tablets, and other banned electronic devices to security staff at the gate just before boarding their US-bound flight.

"The devices will be carefully packed into boxes, loaded into the aircraft hold, and returned to the customer at their US destination. There will not be any charge for this service. It added that customers should be aware that there will be a detailed search of all hand baggage on non-stop flights to the US from Dubai. They should therefore declare their devices before the search, or ensure their electronic devices are packed into their check-in luggage in the first instance.

SAA US flights unaffected

Cape Town - South African Airways says it has not imposed a general ban on the use or carriage of electronic devices on board its flights as the airline has not received any directive from US Department of Transportation or the Federal Aviation Administration to restrict or ban usage of electronic devices on board its aircraft.

South Africans travelling to the UK and US via Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Doha and several other cities will no longer be allowed to use their laptops, iPads, tablets, kindles or e-readers in-flight – following the US and UK government ban on electronic devices on flights.

The ban affects flights 10 specific airports, via a direct flight to the US or the UK, and travellers should note they will not be allowed to stow any electronic device larger than 16cm x 9.3cm in their hand luggage.

Flights out of the US to these airports are not subject to the ban, according to US authorities.

“Customers may continue to use and enjoy their devices in our cabins except for those electronic devices that have specifically been prohibited on board and public/customer notifications to that effect have been made,” says SAA spokesperson Tlali Tlali.

SEE: #ElectronicsBan: How are SA travellers affected?

 Traveller24 contacted Acsa to determine if any added security measures will be looked at from South Africa, but has yet to receive a response. In June 2016, the US issued a terror alert for South Africa over the weekend, warning of "terror attacks by Islamic militants. The alert saw security measures increased at airports as well as malls across the country.

“Whenever a ban is imposed or restriction is placed on the usage of devices, it is based on specific operational or security considerations. At this stage there is no blanket ban on carrying or using electronic devices on our flights, including those that serve the US destinations we fly to,” says Tlali.

SEE: SACAA 'monitoring security measures' following US terror alert

Airlines affected by the US and UK ban include Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Egypt Air and Turkish Airlines. Affected devices not allowed in hand luggage include all tablets, iPads, Kindles, e-readers, laptops, cameras and lenses, portable DVD players, electronic game devices and travel printers and scanners larger than 16cm x 9.3cm.

The 10 international airports affected by the ban: 

- Cairo in Egypt

- Amman in Jordan

- Kuwait City in Kuwait

- Casablanca in Morocco

- Doha in Qatar

- Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia

- Istanbul in Turkey

- Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. 

Lost productivity

While it's not quite as disruptive as an outright ban on smartphones — remember when the Samsung Galaxy note 7 was banned as it was considered a fire hazard - much less a travel ban based on nationality,  the laptop limitation is a headache for a number of people, especially the business traveller who now has to stow it in their checked baggage. 

'Lithium batteries not be transported in the hold' 

The ban also raises the question around the airline policy that lithium-ion batteries not be transported in the hold - the batteries have been blamed for past aircraft fires.

“The airlines are responsible for enforcing these rules and therefore have the final say. One carrier may have a slightly different interpretation to another so it is vital that passengers contact airlines directly or your travel expert for clarification. Flight Centre Travel Group is also liaising with airlines to get clarity,” says  Michelle Jolley, Spokesperson for Corporate Brand a division of Flight Centre Travel Group.

ORLY ATTACKER A RADICALIZED MUSLIM

A “radicalised Muslim” known to security services has been shot dead after attempting to steal a soldier’s gun at Paris Orly Airport. 

The 39-year-old French citizen, identified as Ziyed Ben Belgacem, shot at police officers manning a checkpoint in northern Paris with an “air pistol” before launching the airport attack, the French interior minister said.

During a visit to the airport, Bruno Le Roux said one officer was shot during the routine check and was undergoing hospital treatment for injuries to his face.

“We can link the [airport attacker’s] identity with a check carried out at Garges-les-Gonesse by a patrol in Stains this morning,” he added.

“The individual’s identity is known to the police and intelligence services.” Belgacem's father and brother, as well as a cousin, have been detained for questioning.

According to French broadcaster BFMTV he had sent them a text reading: “I screwed up, I shot the police.”

A police source described the attacker as “a radicalised Muslim known to intelligence services”.

Paris prosecutor Francois Molins told a news conference on Saturday evening that at the airport, Belgacem yelled he wanted to die in the name of Allah and said “whatever happens, there will be deaths”. 

Mr Molins said the attacker held an air pistol to a soldier’s head and used her as a shield. He apparently wanted to use her weapon to shoot people in the busy airport.

Contrary to earlier reports by French officials, Mr Molins said the attacker did wrench away her powerful military-grade assault rifle.

The soldier’s colleagues fired three bursts – eight rounds in all – when they killed him.

Belgacem had a lengthy criminal history of violence, robbery and drug offences but was not on the “fiche S” list of terror threats, despite being investigated by the DGSI as a potential jihadi after indications of Islamist radicalisation emerged in 2015.

Mr Molins said three people were being held in police custody, and that Belgacem’s choice of target and evidence that he had been radicalised justified launching a terrorism investigation.

Research has shown that more than half of European Isis fighters have a criminal past, with recruiters deliberately targeting violent criminals and gang members looking for redemption and a licence to kill in the name of jihad.

​Like many other Islamists, Belgacem is believed to have been radicalised in prison and was put under surveillance after being freed, although it was unclear when monitoring stopped.

Prosecutors said no evidence of extremism was uncovered in a search of his home, which was among scores raided in the immediate aftermath of the Paris attacks.

PARIS ATTACK-ORLY

PARIS — An attack on a soldier at Orly Airport near here on Saturday is being treated as a possible act of terrorism, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office. The assailant, the prosecutor said, had carried out a burst of violence over a period of two hours before being fatally shot.

The Paris prosecutor, François Molins, said the motives of the assailant — identified as 39-year-old Ziyed Ben Belgacem — were unknown. But the prosecutor added that Mr. Belgacem had a lengthy police record, including arrests for robbery and drug-related offenses, and had served time in prison. He was known to the authorities, Mr. Molins said, but primarily as a criminal.

The shooting at Orly prompted a partial evacuation of the airport, the diversion of all flights and a security sweep to determine whether the assailant had left any explosives at the airport’s two terminals, officials said. Incoming flights were diverted to nearby Charles de Gaulle Airport.

The chain of events began when Mr. Belgacem was stopped by the police at 6:55 a.m. in the Paris suburb of Garges-lès-Gonesse, after he was spotted driving at a high speed with his headlights off, Mr. Molins said at a news conference on Saturday evening.

After he pulled over, Mr. Belgacem fired a pistol loaded with birdshot and fled. One police officer was slightly injured.

Mr. Belgacem then drove to a bar in Vitry-sur-Seine, where he fired his gun again but did not injure anyone. When he exited the bar, he left his cellphone there.

He fled in his car, but abandoned it a few miles away. He then carjacked another vehicle and drove about eight miles to the airport.

There he spotted a three-soldier unit patrolling the airport, Mr. Molins said. At 8:22 a.m., Mr. Belgacem, carrying his pistol, tossed a container of gasoline on the floor. He grabbed one of the soldiers and held his gun to her head.

Mr. Molins said the soldiers reported that he yelled: “I’m here to die in the name of Allah. Whatever happens, people are going to die.”

As Mr. Belgacem grappled with the soldier, he wrested her rifle from her. At that instant, the two other soldiers fired three bursts from their weapons, killing him.

Mr. Molins said the antiterrorism unit of the prosecutor’s office and the French Intelligence Service had opened an investigation.

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Mr. Belgacem was carrying cigarettes, 750 euros in cash, or about $800, a lighter and a Quran at the time of the attack, Mr. Molins said. Cocaine, a machete and some foreign currency were later found at his home.

Mr. Belgacem’s brother, father and cousin were questioned by the police, Mr. Molins said.

While in prison during 2011 and 2012, Mr. Belgacem was identified by intelligence officials as someone who had become radicalized. After his release, he remained on the authorities’ radar, and his house was searched in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris in November 2015, Mr. Molins said, although no action was taken against him.

The episode at Orly was reminiscent of an attack in February near the Louvre in which a man with two long knives attacked soldiers patrolling in the Carrousel du Louvre, an underground shopping mall. The man injured a soldier before being shot several times.

The attack on Saturday came amid a heated presidential election campaign in France, with the first round of voting to take place on April 23.

Any terrorist attack so close to the election, political analysts suggest, could be an opportunity by the candidates of the far right, Marine Le Pen, and the center right, François Fillon, to berate the current Socialist government and by association Emmanuel Macron, the center-left candidate, who was previously the economy minister, for failing to protect the French people.

While both Ms. Le Pen and Mr. Fillon posted Twitter messages about Saturday’s attack, they used the episode primarily as an opportunity to praise French soldiers and, in Ms. Le Pen’s case, to underscore some of her campaign themes. She said in her post: “Violence has overwhelmed France, a consequence of the laxity of successive governments. But there is the courage of our soldiers.”

Mr. Fillon limited his Twitter message to praise the “women and men” of what is known as Operation Sentinel, the soldiers who “work for our security and have once again proved their courage and efficiency.”

The unit attacked at the airport was part of Operation Sentinel, whose 7,000 soldiers patrol public areas, including airports, tourist attractions and train stations.

The west terminal at Orly reopened by 1 p.m., the Paris airport authority said. Flights gradually resumed at the south terminal, where the attack took place.

Air India Operations Head Licence Temporarily Suspended By Aviation Authority

NEW DELHI:  Acting tough, aviation regulator DGCA on Wednesday suspended the flying licence of Air India operations head Capt A K Kathpalia for skipping mandatory pre-flight medical test repeatedly.

The action comes within a week of the national carrier taking Capt Kathpalia, a senior executive pilot, off flying duties.

Interestingly, Capt Kathpalia -- who is the Executive Director (Operations) -- has been selected for a board level position at Air India pending final approval.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has now suspended the licence for failing to undertake breath analyser test, either before or after operating a domestic flight on January 19.

In an order, the regulator said that in public interest, "the privileges of the pilot licence held by Captain A K Kathpalia ATPL No.1330" is being suspended for three months.

The suspension "shall be endorsed on his licence", the order issued by DGCA Joint Director Lalit Gupta said. In this context, endorse refers to mentioning about the particular action in the personal records of the violator.

The suspension would be effective from February 7 -- the day when he was taken off from flying duties by the airline after directions from the DGCA.

There was no response from Air India to queries in this regard.

Sources at the airline said the five-member committee, set up to probe allegations of violations against Capt Kathpalia, has submitted its report to the DGCA.

DGCA officials were not available for comments.

The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) had complained that Kathpalia had evaded pre-flight medical test on several occasions.