Anyone planning to take a tablet, e-reader, or ultra-portable notebook computer on Camino MUST consider that the current airline ban on bringing these devices into an airplane cabin, and in some cases, even checking them in your luggage is gradually spreading. Eventually, I assess that the ban may be global.
IMHO and based on previous professional experience, the ban well should be global, until the threat has eased or disappeared. Please trust me on this. I used to do intelligence assessments like this for a living.
Even 10-years on, into retirement, I still keep up with what is going on and what the consequences might be. It might be slightly warped or "dark," but it remains a "hobby." As they say, once you are "in" you are never quite or "fully out."
If this global ban happens, only functioning, battery-charged mobile / smart phones will be permitted on board. You should go to your departure or connecting airport expecting that you might be asked to place a live call at security to prove the point. You might be asked to access the web using your data in a similar fashion.
For my coming Camino on 27 April, I plan to bring ONLY my iPhone 6S onboard. The Apple saddleback battery case will be in checked luggage. I will bring my charger and cable on board as the over water segments of my trip have AC power at the seat, even in economy. Do your research before hand.
For those of you who may not be following this ban, I will explain it very simply:
The various "bad actors" (criminals, terrorists, whatever) seeking to cause mass casualties and economic mayhem by downing commercial airliners have developed very dense, very powerful per gram, and very small explosives that CANNOT be easily detected by conventional means used at airport security. These explosives can be concealed in larger personal electronic devices like readers, tablets, and ultra-portable notebooks..
For example, if you have ever seen the inside of an iPad, the battery is split into two parts. Other tablet-sized computers and readers may have a similar construction. You can find these views on the web or You Tube.
One part of the "battery" COULD be the explosive material and the other battery section could be a real but arguably smaller capacity battery. The iPad (or other tablet) would operate normally, albeit with much reduced battery life, until things go BOOM! The size of the explosive matter is enough to puncture the pressurized passenger cabin and bring down an airliner flying at high altitude.
This is why they do not want these things on board. I agree with that assessment.
The bad guys can even turn on the device at security to "prove" it is a real device. Once it is onboard the aircraft, all bets are off.
The idea behind placing all such items inside checked luggage in the baggage hold is that most baggage holds are not pressurized, thus minimizing blast damage. The positive pressure in a passenger cabin enhances the blast effect by pushing outward, helping to rupture the fuselage. Also, the luggage and contents would attenuate, to some effect the blast pressure.
I know this sounds scary, sobering, and downright negative. But, the odds are still extremely, very, remote.
It will not stop me from flying. I depart Florida for Lisbon on 25 April to start from Lisbon to Sanitago via Porto and the Central route on 27 April.
See you out there!
I hope this helps.
