In March the US implemented an electronics ban for flights from select Middle Eastern countries to the US. Under this ban, passengers had to check electronic devices other than phones into the cargo holds of planes. This whole thing seemed pretty poorly thought out, both in terms of not considering the increased risk of a fire in the cargo hold, and also in terms of the countries chosen.
Fortunately in late June the US introduced new airport security measures globally, and as part of that, the electronics ban could be lifted for countries that were impacted by it. The catch is that airports would have to comply with the new security procedures before the ban would be lifted. It took airports a couple of weeks to comply, and by mid-July the electronics ban had been completely lifted. Saudia was actually the last airline to have the ban lifted.
Flights from #KSA to #USA Granted Clearance on Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs)
Read morehttps://t.co/X6lEUalXab#electronics_unbanned pic.twitter.com/HpKRc7DPPd
— السعودية | SAUDIA (@Saudi_Airlines) July 19, 2017
In this case my gamble had paid off. I had booked a roundtrip Saudia first class ticket, with the outbound for travel in June, and then I intentionally planned the return for later in the year, in hopes of the electronics ban having been lifted by then. So it worked out great for me, since I just flew back from the Middle East to the US this past weekend on Saudia, and was able to take my laptop onboard.
However, as a condition of the electronics ban being lifted, there was supposed to be tighter security. Just how tight and invasive was it? Not bad at all, actually.
My flight was departing from gate 23 at Riyadh Airport. Riyadh Airport is designed so that there aren’t “sterile” gates, which is to say that they don’t really have a practical setup where you can be fully screened and then be in a small gate area that’s fully contained. So they have more of a makeshift setup — once you go through the additional security you board immediately, since there’s nowhere else for you to go.
There were all kinds of ropes set up for queuing, and there wasn’t a separate premium line.
Then there was a security checkpoint that looked the same as just about any other checkpoint you’d go through.
Once they were ready to start boarding (about 30 minutes before departure), they verified boarding passes and asked if you had any electronic devices. If you had any electronic devices, you were told to place them in a separate bin. In my case I put my laptop, camera, and phone in the bin.
At that point I was directed to go over to a table which had an explosives screening device. However, to my surprise they didn’t actually use it, as my stuff wasn’t swabbed. Instead the guy just looked at my stuff (and didn’t even turn any devices on), and then told me to proceed to the x-ray machine, where my items were screened.
To some degree they seemed to be using the honor system, as they didn’t actually search your bag to be sure there weren’t more electronics. Instead they just asked you to place them in a separate bin and then everything went through the x-ray (I suppose they could have seen items through that, though).
The process was painless, and I was through in less than a minute. In fairness, we had queued in advance so we’d be the first onboard, though by the time they started screening there was a sizable queue, so you can expect to wait a bit if you’re not among the first people.
Bottom line
This screening process wasn’t as involved as I was expecting. A while back I wrote about Qatar’s new enhanced security screening in Doha, where electronics have to be put in separate sealed bags, etc. That wasn’t the case here. They didn’t even swap my electronics.
I’m not sure if they only randomly swab electronics, or if they weren’t following procedure. This process was also different than I was expecting since you could board immediately after going through the checkpoint, since there was nowhere to sit.
I’m happy to see the electronics ban lifted, as it sure was nice to be able to get some work done for the 19+ hour journey back to Los Angeles.
@bgriff they've been doing the same thing (sans swabbing) since at least 2010 (probably before)
This has been the process ever since i started flying to the US. Crew also go through the same security check. Nothing major and if u didnt see just before u finish the process u will find a stack of boxes for all electronics (fyi, that was when the electronics band was still up). All US &Manchester flights have this check.
@ Lucky – was it not as involved as you were expecting because it wasn't actually being done properly?
When I've come through the main security area at Riyadh I don't think I've ever seen the guy at the x-ray machine look at the monitor – he's usually chatting or looking at his phone.
Reminds me of traveling into the US from the Caribbean. Security theater up the ass in the US, but you can fly right in after passing through an xray where all the workers are chatting looking the other way.
"TBH… locals would be more relaxed as they know nothing would hit them, nor would an attack happen on their own people…"
TBH...what a stupid thing to say...
In Doha..hmmm the process was like this:
1) Go through initial check
2) Take out laptop and put in tamper seal bag. Then that gets explosive tested
3) Get pulled over ot the side
4) Walk through scanner with laptop separate, shoes separate, and then everything else
5) Get patted down after going through scanner and get checked yourself for explosives
6) Get on plane
I flew from Abu Dhabi a couple weeks ago. Only thing different than standard screening on domestic flights was laptops, when going through x-ray, had to have their lid opened. Otherwise identical from a passenger experience.
Process in Hong Kong was identical to what it was pre enhanced screening.
@Daniel, So we can just bypass the queue and make our own line when traveling out of the US?
Watch the US ban electronics from being carried on again after reading this review.
TBH... locals would be more relaxed as they know nothing would hit them, nor would an attack happen on their own people...
Terrorism isn't stopping me from my travels. They're not winning at all and no one should travel in fear!
This is interesting, because what you describe is more or less identical to going through US-bound security at RUH last year, before all of the supposedly "enhanced" security initiatives went into place. There has been an additional security screening for US-bound flights at JED and RUH for quite a while now.
ben/lucky are you american or not? americans do not queue in line we stand in line, for a long time, lol, or we wait in line, also we do not fall in line...
thank you.