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TOP US AND EU officials have traded intelligence on what they called “serious evolving threats” to airline security as Washington mulls banning carry-on computers on flights from Europe.
Both sides said they intended to hold more talks next week in Washington on a possible ban of such equipment.
“Both sides exchanged information on the serious evolving threats to aviation security and approaches to confronting such threats,” a joint statement said.
They discussed “existing aviation security standards and detection capabilities” as well as security improvements “related to large electronic devices placed in checked baggage,” it added.
The US Department of Homeland Security sparked deep concern in Europe last week when it said it would soon decide on extending to European airlines a carry-on computer ban on flights from eight mostly Muslim countries.
EU commissioners took part in what US officials said were four hours of “robust” talks with a US delegation led by Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke.
But a senior US administration official told reporters on a conference call that there were points of agreement and points they were continuing to discuss.
Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly was mulling “next steps” and would make any decision based on an evaluation of threats, the official said on condition of anonymity.
“Secretary Kelly has made no decision on expanding the restriction on large electronic devices in aircraft cabins, but the decision is currently under consideration,” the senior official said.
A US ban on now ubiquitous laptops could cause havoc, with more than 3,250 flights a week scheduled to leave EU airports for the US this summer, according to industry data.
Some experts also say there is a security risk in putting them with checked luggage given the danger of their batteries catching fire.
In March, Washington banned passengers from eight countries in North Africa and the Middle East from bringing laptop computers, tablets and other electronic devices larger than cellphones as carry-on items.
The UK followed with a similar ban applying to incoming flights from six Middle East and North African countries.
The move, which requires passengers to put the devices into checked baggage, came amid concerns that jihadist groups were devising bombs disguised as batteries in consumer electronics items.
A bomb that blew a hole in the fuselage of a Somali airliner in February 2016, killing one person, is believed to have been built into a laptop computer carried into the passenger cabin.
I wonder are iMessages included in this report? Personally I send very few ‘texts’ as I either use iMessage, Viber or WhatsApp. Freebies all the way I say!
Jelly SMS is great too :)
Shouldn’t be as iMessage is a message service like Whatsapp and not texting.
Days of texting and being ripped off by networks for it are hopefully numbered.
How long before there is a tax to own a phone, oh yeah that’s called the broadcasting charge.
Coming soon.
And I thought we were a nation of talkers
“It’s very good to talk!” ; for the phone companies !
Yes. People on the dole should not be allowed access to phones so they can stay in contact with loved ones. Maby give them one phone call a week at the SW office.
Sure they have the country ruined. Not one of them looking for a job. Tut tut tut.
Hope my sarcasm came through above!
Some people try to find a way if turning every article into an opportunity to bash those in social welfare. It’s must be the only way they can feel good about themselves attacking people they don’t know. Never mind that having a phone might actually be a good thing in searching for a job .
Tax them per text quick
Who texts these days? Whatsapp all the way!!
Technically still texting ;)
Ya but will it be counted in the above figure?
But ya it’s still texting…
Yeah you’re right I’d imagine those texts are not counted. I send very few normal texts these days. iMessage, viber, jelly SMS etc
Does that include whatsapp? The only text i send is through whatsapp.
I’d love to know what % of the Social welfare budget (borrowed) goes on phone credit !
How much do you spend from your social welfare?
Don’t have a phone Matt ; what do you do yourself a bit of PIPing is it ?
Put your second name up there you chicken-mason !
’76.7 per cent of all mobile voice calls classified as mobile-to-mobile’
Did we need comreg to tell us that.
Well I didn’t have statistics to hand myself and I don’t know if anyone else is bothered collating the data so I would suggest that yes we did need Comreg to tell us that!
you need comreg to tell you that 75% of calls are mobile to mobile? bless you.
It doesn’t say that. It says that’s the percentage of all mobile calls that go to other mobiles. If you’re not interested in the statistics why read the article?
A 1cent tax on texts…needed.
My h*le it is
It’s a pity ComReg don’t try sort out the shocking service from almost every operator. I live in Dublin and for about 2 hours yesterday my phone (along with my friend’s phone) couldn’t pick up a 3G signal for around 2 hours. Nobody has the patience to deal with EDGE/GPRS these days.
Are texts not taxed at 23% already maybe they should tax emails or comments on the journal ,
Tax Tax Tax… If someone can’t stop texting then maybe a little tax incentive might be good for them. If not, it might help the budget or even sort out our national debt?
Probably texting ya ma and ya da and dat nonsense
have your say