Device ban to hurt business travellers

They also risk losing checked-in laptops

PETALING JAYA: Regular Malaysian business travellers to the United States are most likely to be affected by the electronic device ban on flights, said Malaysian Tourist Guides Council president Jimmy Leong.

“Vacation travellers can choose to not take a laptop along and make do with their smartphones but business travellers will most definitely need their laptops with them,” he said.

“The risk of airline passengers losing their electronic devices could be higher as they must store these devices in the checked-in luggage,” he added.

“When your luggage arrives at the luggage belt, someone might just take it and leave with your laptop, and any important data you have in it,” he said.

Leong was responding to the US ban on electronic devices other than mobile phones on direct or transit flights from eight countries in the Middle East and North Africa for security reasons, as announced on Tuesday.

Britain has followed suit, prohibiting passengers on direct flights from six countries in the Middle East from carrying large electronic devices in the cabin.

Baggage theft increased when Britain implemented a similar ban in 2006, aviation security expert Jefrrey Price, from the US Metropolitan State University of Denver, was quoted as saying in an Al Jazeera report.

Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican said Wisma Putra was currently seeking clarification from the US government through the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on this latest travel restriction announcement.

“Pending formal clarification, it appears now to be affecting all passengers travelling to the United States and transiting through the listed countries and airports,” he said in a text message.

Roger Yang, a risk consultant engineer who travels regularly to the United States for work, said the ban is an inconvenience for him.

“I have a lot of confidential data in my laptop which I cannot back up into another drive due to my company’s cyber security policy.

“Losing it will be a very big headache,” he said.

Allyn Yong, who travels frequently to the United States with her family, said they would opt to fly with airlines which did not transit in the countries affected.

The 25-year-old Ipoh-based nurse said her family members were used to carrying their electronic devices on board.

Jessica Hwang, who studied in the United States, said she would feel uncomfortable checking in her notebook with her luggage.

But she said she would abide by the restrictions.

“It’s being imposed by other countries for security reasons and we have to respect their decision,” said the 22-year-old from Subang Jaya.