US plans to extend a ban on carrying laptops on to transatlantic aircraft have been mired in confusion last night with Washington denying reports from Brussels that the plans had been scrapped.
An announcement of an extended ban had been considered imminent and was expected following a call between John Kelly, the Homeland Security Secretary and European Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos and Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc.
The EU and aviation industry have long opposed proposals to extend the ban on laptops and other large items, including iPads and e-readers which is already in force on flights to the US from 10 African and Middle Eastern airports.
With no ban being announced, EU officials said that the proposals were off the table, suggesting that Washington had backed down.
“No ban,” a European Commission official said. “Both sides have agreed to intensify technical talks and try to find a common solution.”
But within hours this was flatly contradicted in a statement issued on Mr Kelly’s behalf, insisting that the proposed ban was “still on the table”.
The statement added: “Secretary Kelly affirmed he will implement any and all measures necessary to secure commercial aircraft flying to the United States – including prohibiting large electronic devices from the passenger cabin – if the intelligence and threat level warrant it.”
Privately, senior DHS officials voiced annoyance at the reports coming out of Brussels.
“I don’t know who was on the call, but this bore no relation to what was discussed,” one official . “There has been an ongoing discussion about the threat, the nature of the threat and why we are considering this.”
Opposition to the proposed ban has been led by the main airline trade body, the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Flight safety expert: Airline laptop ban is sensible move 01:49Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general, said extending the ban could cost passengers $1.1 billion. Major airlines fear that denying executives the opportunity to work while in the air would lead to a catastrophic fall in the lucrative business class traffic on which they depend.
According to one estimate, extending the ban to Europe, which would represent the biggest shake-up in aviation security since September 11, would hit 3,000 flights a week.
Some experts have also questioned the effectiveness of the proposals, warning that putting thousands of lithium ion batteries into the hold of an aircraft could pose an even greater threat.
“This is a triumph of politics over science,” said Bob Mann, a US-based aviation consultant.
“Putting thousands of these devices into hundreds of flights creates a far greater risk profile than a single terrorist trying to take a laptop onto a plane.” This is disputed by other experts who say there is little evidence of the danger. According to Federal Aviation Administration, there have only been 152 incidents over 25 years involving lithium ion batteries.
Of these many involve Galaxy phones, which have been banned, and e-cigarettes.