Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told Fox News Sunday, "I might" when asked about extending the ban barring certain electronics from the cabin to all flights into and out of the United States following it up with strong comments. "It's the thing the terrorists are obsessed with, particularly if it's a U.S. carrier...(The threat is) real," Kelly told host Chris Wallace.

He said, "We're still following the intelligence," adding, "We're going to raise the bar for aviation security much higher than it is now. It's a real sophisticated threat." The remarks by Kelly represented a reversal from last Wednesday when it appeared the in-cabin ban for larger electronic devices currently in place from select Middle East countries would not be expanded.

Kelly also said travelers overstuffing hand luggage to avoid airline fees for checking baggage is hampering the TSA's ability to see what is in the bags. He said TSA is currently testing new "tactics and procedures to work it out with the least inconvenience to the traveler." Last week the TSA started testing new procedures at 10 airports with travelers having to unpack more of their carry-on bags into separate containers beyond laptops and liquids. According to reports, a new requirement is that you have to remove magazines, newspapers, books and files as well as smaller electronic devices.

Stacy Small, founder of Elite Travel International puts it this way. "I think people are getting used to the idea of having to follow whatever rules are put in place, like when the shoe bomber created a big scare, and it resulted in everyone needing to remove shoes," she said.

At the same time, she acknowledged an extended laptop ban would be different. "It's a huge inconvenience to be told you have to check your laptop, but I don't see that it will stop people from traveling. It may result in more people examining their private jet options," she noted. Bookings to Europe for the summer are well ahead of last year with Americans attracted by the stronger dollar, she said.

For the corporate sector, Small added, "It's hard to put a price on this especially for business travelers who probably need the flight time to be productive."

"Having TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, sitting first class and having elite status really mean nothing anymore," says Jaclyn Sienna India, owner of Sienna Charles, a luxury travel agency, who says many of her clients won't be impacted as they fly by private jet. She added, "There are so many things to slow you down and create inefficiency at the airport."

Michael Holtz, CEO of SmartFlyer said that since the ban from the Middle East he is seeing more customers leaving their laptops at home. "You can do everything on your smartphone now, and smartphones aren't impacted," he noted. In terms of increased TSA security procedures, he noted it's an additional reason to work with "a good travel agent." He said, "Everyday we deal with travelers and get feedback on their experiences, so a good travel agent is able to provide recommendations based on the experiences of other clients."

Anne Scully, president of McCabe World Travel said travelers can help themselves by enrolling in Clear and not just throwing things into their carry-on luggage. "We need to accept the challenges we now face and learn to be more patient and sensitive to others as we take our journeys. There is an art to smart packing and we all need to learn to be better at it," she said.

Share This Post