05-22-2017, 10:37 AM
I'm enough of a conspiracy theorist to wonder if this "threat" is in fact motivated by a nativist Apple marketing department trying to secure additional sales.
Don't get me wrong, I believe it is quite trivial to convert a laptop enclosure into a lethal aircraft disabling bomb.
But it's curious when the only country pushing for a laptop ban also happens to harbor the only company that makes laptop substitution products.
And of course there's the money airlines could charge for in-flight laptops to use with their internet while the passengers' actual laptops are in the cargo hold. Which is where this security argument really falls down... cuz that thing will do as much damage in belowdecks as in the cabin, and can still no doubt be triggered via timer or a bluetooth or simply wireless signal.
So I hope these companies enjoy their limited additional profits until the actual threat manifests, but they need to admit that given the state of American air travel there's a decent likelihood of that threat being natively driven by people frustrated with the air travel process.
Don't get me wrong, I believe it is quite trivial to convert a laptop enclosure into a lethal aircraft disabling bomb.
But it's curious when the only country pushing for a laptop ban also happens to harbor the only company that makes laptop substitution products.
And of course there's the money airlines could charge for in-flight laptops to use with their internet while the passengers' actual laptops are in the cargo hold. Which is where this security argument really falls down... cuz that thing will do as much damage in belowdecks as in the cabin, and can still no doubt be triggered via timer or a bluetooth or simply wireless signal.
So I hope these companies enjoy their limited additional profits until the actual threat manifests, but they need to admit that given the state of American air travel there's a decent likelihood of that threat being natively driven by people frustrated with the air travel process.