http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8822...h-biggest-city
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https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/carry-...more-ng-202343
Extract of unrestricted NBR article
Qatar threatens to cut Auckland flights
Qatar Airways says it will consider cutting flights to New Zealand if the government implements plans to ban laptops on flights originating from the Middle East. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)*is assessing whether it will follow the US and the UK in stopping large electronic devices being taken on board. Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar al-Baker says a decision would need to be made on the viability of continuing flights from Doha*to Auckland that*only started on February 6 this year.
"It's performing well but you know if we are imposed with bans which would affect our traffic then we will have to reconsider," Mr al-Baker is reported as saying. "It is a very expensive route for us to operate." The CAA has not confirmed if or when a decision would be made.
Emphasis added.
My thoughts. N.Z. is already well served on Middle Eastern and European routes by a variety of quality carriers.
Why should people travelling to / from N.Z. be exposed to the risk of laptop bomb terrorism from that part of the world just because Mr al-baker thinks we should ?
If he's complaining about the cost to service the route that's his problem. I hope CAA puts safety first ahead of the profit driven motive of a foreign owned airline.
Or put another way if this restriction becomes world wide then what affect will that have on total travel. I for one would not want my laptop in the hold as that opens up the chance of it " going missing" down route.
Business people would not want all their company data "not on their person" so may well reduce their travel and look at other ways of doing business.
Anyone with ill intent will simply board in a port that has no restriction so it will have to be extended everywhere.
AIR will be affected as well.
And CAA will simply do what the USA will tell them.
Smart phones are becoming increasingly powerful. If this spreads to become a world-wide issue business people will simply have to get used to making do with their phone and / or taking / transmitting their necessary data by other means. Safety first and I am fine with CAA following best and safest worldwide practice. Mr al-baker is apparently well known in aviation and government circles for his confrontational / outspoken approach in regard to putting his company agenda right "out there". As far as I am concerned he and his airline are most welcome to do business elsewhere if he doesn't N.Z. CAA rules.
Roger, I think you are a bit overdoing your lobbying efforts in order to curtail AIR's competitors.
The ban for excluding large electronic devices based on region of origin is ridiculous ... If they are dangerous, than they need to be banned for any flights no matter where they are coming from, or do you think that a terrorist would not be able to transport his/her Laptop bomb first into a region deemed as safe and enter the plane there?
This ban is just one of Trump's ideas to protect US airlines ... do we really need to follow all of his idiocies ... ?
Yes, conceded that if they are going to ban them then obviously it has to be a world-wide thing to be effective. Apparently the CIA have credible evidence of the ability of terror organizations to develop powerful laptop bombs but it is interesting to note that some Middle East airlines have had to reduce their flights into the U.S. by as much as 20% since Trump's immigration enunciations so perhaps your viewpoint has some validity especially because of course we all know that the alleged credible evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq turned out to be at best "unable to be verified".
Disc: Mr Al-baker's attitude on other aviation matters to N.Z. has ruffled my fur in the past...I'll leave the CAA to make their own decision.
If laptops are so dangerous then it makes no difference if they are in the hold or in the cabin. If President Trump's logic is correct (Trump & Logic????) then laptops will be banned completely regardless of being in the cabin or hold. Interestingly the most recent explosive devices on planes have been planted by ground staff, not passengers.
I recently had to go airside at one of our International airports, onto the tarmac engineering area. Security pass no problem (Driver's licence for ID), no search of my backpack or the vehicle I was in. It would have been incredibly easy to do a lot of damage, as the Company rep who was with me acknowledged.
Drones will be next big problem, it would not be difficult to steer one into the path of a plane at takeoff. Who needs a high-tech laptop device when a low-tech drone or ground staff will do?
So that siad that it is a good idea to ban devices but isn't?
I would have thought that putting the device in the cargo and triggering it via your cell phone (not in normal cell mode for clarification) would be the way to go.
So just ban all devices.
People should be bare footed also and maybe they should wear hospital smocks.
I want my device to watch the video I want to watch - not what they have avaliable.
Doing a 17hr flight with Qatar mid this year and won't be happy if I can't take my tablet.