Update on flying from Beirut
26 March 2017 - RPS Partnership
We posted on Friday about flying back from Lebanon before we had flown, said Caroline Neil of RPS Partnership.
I think we were all hoping that they would not carry out the "laptop ban" this weekend, but they did. Now we am letting you know what actually happened so we can all be prepared.
The ban affected all inbound direct flights to the UK from the following countries:
Turkey
Lebanon
Jordan
Egypt
Tunisia
Saudi Arabia
If you start somewhere else and transit through any of these countries, it still applies, so you may want to look at transit routes in future to avoid getting caught up in this.
The official line was no phones, laptops and tablets, including e readers, in the cabin if they are larger than:
length: 16.0cm
width: 9.3cm
depth: 1.5cm
It would be worth checking larger phones, as I saw them take one of the small kindles off a guy at the gate. don't forget back up hard drives as this applies to them too.
When I got to the checkin desk, I asked about insurance for my laptop in the hold. The guy there assured me that things did not get stolen from the hold (? which planet was he living on?), when I pushed this, the other chap assured me that the airlines would cover this. Hmm I thought! He declined to give me any written confirmation of this and said I would have to call BA directly, which I did not have time to do, but will be doing this week.
So expensive laptops will be in the hold; you will have to accept this or not fly to these countries.
What can you do? ensure they are backed up, ensure packed well and with a plastic bag around them. I'm going to try to get a hard case if I can - saves being battered around when the baggage gets thrown around and gets wet. Although clothes may provide a good substitute), ensure they are insured.
Anyone have any experience of this? Contact us on [email protected] so we can share this with others. Or send a tweet to @rpspartnership
Any items items purchased from duty free on board or in the shops are liable to the same rules. Not sure how this will work; assume they will take items off you at the gate?
Beirut airport is reasonably tight. X ray of all luggage as you enter the airport (prior to checkin and only passengers flying are allowed through). X ray of my bag showed a non existent knife (he showed me what he was looking for a 3 inch blade) and having pulled the entire contents out and not having found it, he shrugged his shoulders and let me go. Then another x ray on the way through the passport control, then when we got to the gate, there was another full physical check of luggage by 4 gentlemen with blue gloves on, who pulled everything out again. This was where they caught the man with the kindle. I still have not found the 3 inch knife!
I spent my flight resorting to pen and pad, to make notes for work, which I then had to dictate when I got back. Was very relieved when I grabbed my suitcase and breathed a sigh of relief that my laptop was still there, not damaged and worked when I switched it on.
So this security measure is here to stay, whatever you think. So look up the rules, make sure you know what you can and can't do. Be prepared, you can't fight it, so you need to do the best you can to protect your equipment and have backup plans in case it all goes wrong.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/additional-hand-luggage-restrictions-on-some-flights-to-the-uk
Contact us on [email protected] if you need more information, advice or training. We have been running Active Shooter training with emergency first aid for quite a while. Be prepared for a terrorist attack and ensure that your staff know what to do. Contact us if you are interested or worried,