DXBtoDOH

Just to make things clearer:

Are you complaining about the competitive advantage of the Gulf carriers who, according to the Post article, 'have tried to defend themselves against political attacks from U.S. competitors by appealing to free trade principles. The problem is that standard free trade agreements, such as World Trade Organization rules, don’t really apply to airlines (although they do apply to related sectors, such as the manufacture of airplanes). This has allowed the Gulf airlines to enjoy massive subsidies, without having to worry too much about being sued in the WTO.'

Or

Are you complaining about Donald Trump potentially using this security measure as a way to balance out this allegedly unfair advantage of the Gulf airlines without engaging in an all out trade war?

Or

Are you going to allege that because the Gulf airlines are owned by brown skinned people then it's fair for them to bend the rules / take advantage of loopholes but not 'white' countries, and therefore Trump's alleged motivations are not acceptable?

TheShed

I'm intrigued by all of this. Today, the UK also brought in the same kind of ban and included BA but not Virgin. If you're going thru London to the US, this hands a massive advantage to Mr Branson over BA. I would also suspect that Virgin stands to also pick up a lot of subcontinent to USA traffic as they have those connections as well.

The ban is a PITA for me as I go to the US about 4-6 times a year and work for most of the on-board hours that I'm not sleeping

DXBtoDOH

Are you sure? I don't see Virgin mentioned. As far as I'm aware there's no ban on anything to UK from UAE. If Virgin is not mentioned while BA is it's likely because Virgin doesn't fly to/from the destinations affected by the ban.

As far as I'm aware, you won't be affected if you fly Virgin or BA to the US with a layover in London. That may be the price you'll need to pay.

UK flight ban on electronic devices announced - BBC News

Beakersful

I don't care what security or political situation has caused this action.

I care about the survivability of my expensive laptop in my case when thrown about by baggage workers.

I presume we have to take video evidence of our laptops working in AUH/DXB, then open it straight off the carousel back home, turn it on, check for damage, then fill in a form for compensation?

Or are their baggage handlers going to take more care of our bags now? Because I got a (admittedly cheaper) laptop damaged coming in to the country here and that drove me nuts since I only found out when home and didn't have a leg to stand on.

Millhouse

Obviously trade and not security related. Security is always done by the government inside the airport and never the airline.

DXBtoDOH

Fly to the US via a layover route in Europe. BA is good. KLM and Lufthansa are other options although BA has many more destinations in the US.

Problem solved.

Beakersful

>layover

So, a simple plane hopping two/three stage journey won't cut it then? Must have a layover?

Might look at a parcel service for price instead. Nothing else to ship back from here. Unless I want to stick a few ninjasuits in with it to cosplay angerhump someone to deal with the privation I've suffered here.

Miss Ann Thrope

Interesting; I asked two fairly straightforward questions, without offering any opinion, to try and better understand what you seemed to be implying in your comments. And, whereas you usually try to mischaracterise what I have already posted, now you seem to be some kind of Trump-besotted Mystic Meg - or Clairvoyant Kellyanne - pre-emptively twisting what you anticipate that I might possibly say.

scrubbedexpat141

Layover could work going via somewhere on mainland Europe.

Surely posting it is just the same as in your case?

DXBtoDOH

You have a proven history of patronising and misplaced political correctness and seeing racism in everything that's being said on here. So it's natural for me to look at all questions you pose from that angle and assume you're jumping into the thread solely to cry racism/imperialism/whatever. Because that's what you do most of the time.

A person with no such background history would have drawn a different interpretation of the question posed.

DXBtoDOH

Look, it's your choice.

Fly a Gulf carrier and risk checking in your laptop.

Fly a non-Gulf carrier via Europe and have your laptop with you in the cabin.

Fly a US carrier (ugh) and have your laptop with you in the cabin (based on my experiences with US carriers I'd go for the layover option in Europe).

For now, the parameters have changed. We have to make decisions based on the current situation. No amount of protesting from us is going change Donald Trump's mind.

scrubbedexpat141

I like it when you're extra fighty. I might bring up the metro just for fun....

DXBtoDOH

Piss off. I'm in a bad mood. It's still four more weeks till I get out of Doha for a Dubai weekend.

nonthaburi

UK list doesn't apply to UAE, so there is no conflict with Virgin and BA. Only BA and Saudia fly direct to UK from Saudi. Both on the list.

scrubbedexpat141

I was in a foul mood yesterday if it makes you feel any better.

Anything you want to talk about?