Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

So far just speculation, but this just in from Reuters. Remember all those discussions we have about air travel and checking cameras? How would you or do you react? Could this also extend to US airlines or redirected flights?

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By David Shepardson and Mark Hosenball, Reuters.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. authorities are planning to ban passengers traveling on certain U.S.-bound foreign airline flights from carrying into the cabin larger electronic devices in response to an unspecified terrorism threat, U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday.

The new rule is expected to be announced as early as Monday by the Department of Homeland Security, the officials said, adding that it had been under consideration since the U.S. government learned of a threat several weeks ago.

A source said the rule would cover nearly a dozen foreign airlines. A separate government official confirmed an Associated Press report that the ban will impact 10 airports in eight countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Reuters reported earlier the ban would include airlines based in Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The officials did not name the other countries.

The officials said no American carriers were affected by the ban, which would apply to devices larger than a cell phone, and none travel directly to the airports impacted from U.S. cities Passengers would be allowed to carry larger devices in their checked luggage like tablets, portable DVD players, laptops and cameras.

Royal Jordanian Airlines said in a tweet on Monday that U.S.-bound passengers would be barred from carrying most electronic devices aboard aircraft starting Tuesday at the request of U.S. officials, including those that transit through Canada. Passengers can still carry cell phones and approved medical devices.

Al Riyadh newspaper, which is close to the Saudi government, reported that the civil aviation authority had informed "airlines flying from the kingdom's (Saudi) airports to U.S. airports of the latest measures from U.S. security agencies in which passengers must store laptops and tablets" in checked in baggage.

Al Riyadh quoted a civil aviation authority source as saying that these measures from senior U.S. authorities were relayed to the Saudi interior ministry.

Saudia Airlines confirmed in a tweet that U.S. transportation authorities had barred carrying larger electronic devices in cabin luggage.

The White House declined to comment.

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, David Lapan, said the agency has "no comment on potential security precautions, but will provide an update when appropriate.

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly called congressional lawmakers this weekend to notify them of the plan, congressional aides said.

In July 2014, the Homeland Security Department stepped up security of U.S.-bound flights, requiring tougher screening of mobile phones and other electronic devices and requiring them to be powered up before passengers could board flights to the United States.

(Additional reporting by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Sandra Maler, Toni Reinhold and Lisa Shumaker)

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Years ago when I traveled to Europe, the only thing they required was that I remove the lens from the camera so they could look inside, and then cock and release the shutter. It was that simple. I'm sure they'll do something similar with digital cameras, or at least hope they would.
--Bob

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

The ban is expected to last only 96 hours. Sounds like it is targeted to a specific threat.

n3eg Loc: West coast USA

This is in order to make the larger electronics more available for theft by baggage handlers, who have fallen upon hard times due to increased baggage fees creating more carry-on of expensive items.

Brasspounder001 Loc: Erewhon

The main threat is the TSA.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

You guys make this way too hard. I call my airlines a few days before departure and check with them, I tell them what I am carrying on board and they tell me the answer. Hard isn't it.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Nothing larger than a cell phone? That's not going to make anyone happy. No food, no luggage, no movies, no cameras, no laptops.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

JimRPhoto Loc: Raleigh NC

For the first time, I was randomly picked for an "electronics check." It took total, 45 minutes after initial screening. Literally every piece of electronics (phone, ipod, ipad, Lumix point & shoot camera, headphones) were taken out of carry on, then out of their case, swabbed with a small square swab, one at a time. Don't forget, the passenger can't touch anything during the process. I'm glad I did not have a DSLR where they might have wanted to remove the lens, etc. It's all for the right reason, and the agent was very careful, but now I am more aware of what might happen at the security check point.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Except that they don't control the TSA. I've even called TSA about particular items, and they tell me it depends on the individuals working that line at that moment! So it comes down to whether or not the TSA agent likes you, I guess!

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Yes, and a lot of that depends on the attitude one adopts....

Even if they are being 'officious'!

krl48 Loc: NY, PA now SC

I think you may have misunderstood what you might have read. As I read news reports, I understood them as saying the airlines have 96 hours to come into compliance with the rule.

Orson Burleigh Loc: Annapolis, Maryland, USA

The department of Homeland Security (using TSA checkpoints as its on-the-spot disbursing agents) should be required to cover, without out question, all costs incident to the replacement of any and all checked baggage loss claims involving photographic and/or electronic equipment up to $100,000.00 per person per flight.

WetCoaster

I carry a Lowepro camera backpack with me on flights all the time but that is mostly inside Canada. I have had that backpack checked a few times with swabs. Cost me perhaps an extra 10 minutes. I am curious as to what the swabs would miss since, I assume, they look for chemical residue from explosives. Thankfully I don't fly into the US. I live only 4 miles from the border and drive instead to my winter vacation spot.

If they make it difficult to carry cameras, then I won't visit. I can remember the story of a Canadian passenger who was looking out the window of the aircraft in Florida and saw a baggage handler open his suitcase while on a moving loading platform. His suitcase moved out of sight. When he got back home his camera was gone. The baggage handler was charged but got off because he wasn't actually seen to be grabbing the camera.

TSA and other similar authorities will wind up under tremendous pressure if theft becomes an issue. But there are few rights to appeal when dealing with those folks. They hide incompetence and criminal activity behind the veil of national security.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Isn't that a rather socialist perspective, to make others pay for your personal problems?