Europe and the U.S. have reached an agreement regarding the laptop ban, for now.
"No ban," a European Commission official told Politico after a conference call Tuesday between U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and two of his European counterparts. "Both sides have agreed to intensify technical talks and try to find a common solution."
The story is a bit murkier on the U.S. side of the conversation.
A report on CNET says that there is no ban on laptops in cabins at the moment, but that doesn't mean one is off the table. David Lapan, deputy assistant secretary for media operations sent a statement to CNET regarding the issue:
"…Finally, while a much-discussed expansion of the ban on large electronic devices in the cabin on flights to the United States was not announced today, the Secretary made it clear that an expansion is still on the table. 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."
[READMORE]READ MORE: Laptop Ban Expansion Holds Hidden Problems [/READMORE]
This is definitely an issue that needs careful consideration.
A ban could cost the aviation industry upwards of $1 billion, according to analysis from the International Air Transport Transportation. The ban that is already in place in the Middle East is cited by Emirates as a "significant" cause of the airline's loss of profits.
Stowing lithium-ion batteries, used to power laptops, in the cargo hold of an airplane is already considered quite risky by aviation experts. They have a habit of bursting into flames, as experienced on a JetBlue flight Tuesday night.
As a whole, the travel industry has largely asked that DHS look to alternatives before putting a full-scale electronics ban is put into place.
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