
Qatar airways to loan laptops to passengers to overcome the laptop ban - gopalakrishnans
http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2017/03/complimentary-computers
======
Havoc
Can I bring my VPN, certificates & custom software with me too? Didn't think
so.

Also not sticking confidential info on some random laptop.

Beyond playing minesweeper and watching movies I don't see this being useful.

~~~
malaggan
If it is allowed to bring USB keys, one can boot his own personalized
operating system from it.

~~~
hunvreus
I'd still not trust it. I don't even log in from other people's laptop; all
they need is a keylogger.

~~~
jorvi
2FA, use it.

~~~
cryptarch
Doesn't mean your session keys and data are safe. If you log into anything
with access to any kind of private data you're still fucked.

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the_mitsuhiko
I find it bizarre that the UK would support this ban since this is clearly
motivated by economical considerations more than security.

I expected a little bit more from the UK under May.

~~~
aithoughts
> this is clearly motivated by economical considerations more than security.

Can you elaborate?

~~~
dimmuborgir
[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-
cage/wp/2017/03/2...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-
cage/wp/2017/03/21/trump-wont-allow-you-to-use-ipads-or-laptops-on-certain-
airlines-heres-the-underlying-story/)

~~~
shimon_e
This is speculation. Not reporting on official government statements or leaked
info.

~~~
the_mitsuhiko
If it was security as claimed the laptops would not be allowed in checked
luggage either.

~~~
shimon_e
Depends if there is extra screening before its checked. There was a theory
amongst reddit commentators it was so some 3 letter agency can install
tracking chips. If we are going to dabble in speculation we may as dabble in
all of it.

~~~
aithoughts
I disagree for a very simple reason: Screening is not being carried out
properly.

[http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/01/politics/tsa-failed-
undercover...](http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/01/politics/tsa-failed-undercover-
airport-screening-tests/)

I think we suffer from authority bias on this one.

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devoply
How can we mess up Middle Eastern airlines and their business prospects yet
help our airlines? Security.

Not to mention if they are loaning out laptops, who is to trust those laptops
are not being spied upon?

Why would any of these airlines agree to a ban without a quid pro quo for the
other airlines as well?

~~~
function_seven
> How can we mess up Middle Eastern airlines and their business prospects yet
> help our airlines? Security.

This ban applies to all air travel from the selected originating countries,
regardless of airline. (EDIT: Technically this is true, but functionally it is
the M.E. carriers that are most affected)

> Not to mention if they are loaning out laptops, who is to trust those
> laptops are not being spied upon?

Fair point. I wouldn’t be comfortable using a loaner for any sensitive work

> Why would any of these airlines agree to a ban without a quid pro quo for
> the other airlines as well?

They don’t have to agree. They either implement the ban or are denied landing
I’m sure.

~~~
acjacobson
> This ban applies to all air travel from the selected originating countries,
> regardless of airline.

True, but I believe there are no US airlines that fly directly to or from
those airports so they are unaffected by the ban. They'll stand to benefit
from passengers using alternative routes that connect through Europe where
many US airlines do fly.

~~~
function_seven
Yeah, that makes sense. But it seems like a terrorist would also use that
route, no? Either the ban is smart enough to include routes that connect
through Europe, or it’s pretty much useless.

~~~
the_mitsuhiko
This has absolutely nothing to do with security. Trying to retrofit security
considerations into that is just a waste of time.

The US wanted to attack those state subsidies for a long time and I suppose
with Trump they found the right vehicle.

~~~
_up
Wasn't Clinton planing the same thing via "Climate Change Certificates" for
Airlines.

------
Darthy
You want batteries in the cabin where you can quickly locate, ascertain and
compartmentalize the treat from randomly exploding batteries. This new
regulation makes travel less save. The IATA should put their foot down here.

~~~
madeofpalk
The irony here is that CASA (Australia's aviation regulatory body) bans
laptops and iPads for being checked into luggage because of the batteries.

Not that these conflicting requirements should affect anyone though -
Australia flies directly to the US (or via Asia or NZ), and to the UK it
usually flies through Doha, Dubai (which is not impacted by the UK ban).

~~~
desdiv
Interestingly enough, Australia is the third country after US and UK to adopt
the same "security protocols"[0]. And yet they're the first one _not_ to ban
the electronics.

I suspect not because they didn't _want_ to, but simply because they _couldn
't_, on account of the no-checked-laptops rule you mentioned.

[0]
[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/australi...](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/australia-
laptop-ban-travel-restrictions-new-security-checks-uk-us-middle-east-
flights-a7661361.html)

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bertil
I can only imagine the giant security breach those could open.

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noja
Erm what? Is using another person's laptop really useful?

~~~
bertil
Probably not for you (assuming your reading HN means that your work mainly
involves code access and key metrics, plus your expressed doubt). To some
people, it can be enough:

\- reading the news on a website who might not have a printed magazine but
whose URL you can remember;

\- personal social media account without sensitive information; chat
applications;

\- I would not recommend email, but I’m assuming that will be a large share of
the use.

Interestingly, WhatsApp has a decent security and usability case for such a
situation: your phone is secure and you use that to authenticate temporarily;
the full keyboard is more convenient for communications.

But guaranteeing that someone whose name is on the flight manifest will have
the need to, and only access to a pool of a handful of laptops means that
targetted attack could become so much easier.

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Darthy
A preferable way to handle this is would be to make the Dubai-New York nonstop
flight a direct flight with a 10 minute stop in Halifax to stow all devices in
the cargo bay.

Still allows people to use their devices for 90% of the flight duration, and
only makes the flight about half an hour longer.

~~~
shimon_e
I rather sleep on my flight than be woken up 30 minutes before arriving to
Halifax.

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Zoon
That ban... just shameless. They better not whine about China manipulating its
currency.

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verytrivial
Does the band cover Bluetooth keyboard? I can stumble forward on my phone with
one of these.

~~~
the_mitsuhiko
It does. The ban is based on device size.

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finchisko
How is laptop in cargo space more secure than in cabin? I cannot get rid of
feeling that this is not about security, but about making money by lending
laptops or promoting payed onboard infotainment systems. Basically the same
thing they've done water ban - selling more sodas on board.

~~~
dawnerd
I think its more dangerous. How often are they yelling at people that gate
check to not have any batteries in their luggage? So is it okay now? Are they
putting all cargo in sealed metal containers to keep any fires from spreading?

~~~
thunder-ltu
Move along, move along...

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shimon_e
Obligatory: [https://xkcd.com/651/](https://xkcd.com/651/)

This still doesn't stop someone from doing what the comic says with the loaner
laptop.

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FullMtlAlcoholc
State and crony capitalism at its finest

