Keep Your Gadgets Charged Or Risk Missing Your Flight

America’s Homeland Security and TSA are stepping up security measures following what they call a “credible terrorist threat”. They have requested that passengers departing from “certain overseas airports” pass through beefed up security measures.

While the TSA has no jurisdiction over foreign nation’s airports, according to a DHS official, “they can set criteria for US-bound flights”. As of yet the TSA has declined to respond to questions from several media outlets about how many airports will be effected by these new security requirements.

This comes after concerns that westerns from the US or Britain who have traveled to Syria to fight against the Syrian government may become the target of Yemen Al-Qaeda bomb makers who could recruit or use the them as suicide bombers because they would attract much less security attention when traveling on flights.

While there is no current list of effected airports, Heathrow and Manchester airports in the UK have put in place a new rule requiring passengers to turn on their gadgets at the security gate or boarding gate to prove they are real.

It is believed that mobile phones, tablets, laptops or other electronic devices could be used to house explosive devices so airport security will be paying much closer attention to these devices on flights to the US, even if you’re in transit and transferring to a connecting flight to the US and have already cleared security before you could required to pass further security before boarding.

The UK government is believed to have changed it rules to state that ‘if a device doesn’t switch on, you won’t be allowed to bring it on to the aircraft” and as the authorities haven’t provided a checklist of devices effected by these latest changes then you should try to make sure all devices of this nature that are on your person or in your hand held luggage are charged as they could be subjected to more scrutiny than before. Of cause you could just put them in your stowed hold luggage but as most of us prefer to keep these valuable devices with us while on a flight it could be prudent to check that you have charged all your electronics before leaving for the airport and check you have the necessary power leads to charge them at the airport if needed.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Update/2014/0707/Flying-to-the-US-To-clear-airport-security-keep-your-gadgets-charged.-video

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/10950196/Mobiles-could-be-barred-from-flights-if-not-charged.html

http://newtelegraphonline.com/heathrow-issues-must-be-charged-gadget-advice/

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-28193654