Addendum
Asia’s airline association adds voice to laptop ban protests
June 1st 2017
The ripple effects of the recent laptop bans and their proposed expansion produce no tangible public security benefits, the region’s airline association said last month. Read More »
“They would only serve to further the aims of the terrorists, who measure their success by how much society over-reacts to their provocations,” said the director general of the Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines, Andrew Herdman.
“Rather than focus on generalized screening of innocent passengers, past experience with evolving threats and terrorist plots repeatedly highlights the critical importance of effective intelligence gathering and analysis.”
Herdman said airline passengers travel with multiple personal electronic devices (PED) and expect to work, watch films and stay connected to the internet and social media onboard. “Airlines are responding to these demands by investing heavily in inflight connectivity in newer passenger aircraft,” he said.
“Already, passengers are subject to onerous and inconsistent security screening measures before boarding a flight and endure wide variations in screening procedures at different airports. Many of them are calling for the streamlining of passenger processing at airports.”
Bans on large PEDs implemented by the U.S. and UK on inbound flights from specific foreign airports “raise many unanswered questions” and have had led to significant changes in airline operations and disruption to the travelling public, the AAPA said.
“Implemented at short notice without prior consultation with the airline industry, the bans have resulted in confusion at affected airports as airlines scramble to comply with the directives while dealing with unhappy passengers who can no longer take their PEDs into the cabin,” he said.
“In addition, safety issues related to large numbers of lithium battery powered PEDs being stowed in aircraft cargo holds is contrary to recognized best safety practices and remain unresolved.”
“Despite recent events, public confidence in the safety and security of air travel remains high. It would be a tragedy if this confidence was undermined by ill-judged reactionary measures being misguidedly imposed by those entrusted with maintaining public safety.”
