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Electronics Ban for flights from 8 countries
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<p>[QUOTE="Suzie, post: 807594, member: 861"]</p><p>Here's my firsthand experience this week flying with the electronics ban from Doha to PHL on Qatar in J.</p><p></p><p>A few days before leaving PHL, I called Qatar to inquire about their policy. I was told that they were making accommodations to gate check electronics. The items would be bubble wrapped, boxed and tagged, and then hand placed in a special location in cargo hold.</p><p></p><p>When we arrived at the J check-in counter in Doha, I informed the agent that we had two cameras and two e-readers to gate check. She looked at me like I had two heads and told me "that wasn't possible" and that they must be placed in the checked baggage. I explained what I had been told by Qatar in the states and asked if she was sure there wasn't another "possibility." She was adamant and told us to take our luggage aside and to pack our electronics in the checked bag.</p><p></p><p>As we were doing so, I grabbed the 300 mm lens and went back to the counter to inquire if I could at least take the lens in my carry-on. At that point a supervisor, with a very fine British accent, approached and said he understood that I had concerns about my camera equipment.</p><p></p><p>I again explained that we were told that we would be able to gate check. He replied that "yes, that was possible." Well, okay. But then he followed with "it is probably better to put in your checked luggage." I told him I wasn't comfortable with that, and he asked if I was referring to damage. I hesitated and then said "not just damage, but theft also." He said "I hope you don't mean on our end - there are thousands of cameras here." Uncomfortable pause . . . to which I replied "no - in general." </p><p></p><p>When I asked how we would retrieve our electronics in PHL - he said he didn't know, no one had asked him that before. So he made a call and assured me that someone on the other end would be handling the electronics and that we would need our receipt to retrieve. He said not many people gate check (wrong) and that it would be an easy process. </p><p></p><p>After an hour in a very unimpressive J lounge, we head to the gate. Pandemonium. 2:00 am full A350 flight. They had a separate desk to gate check. They took all 4 items (minus the 300 mm lens that they deemed okay) and wrapped them together in a too small piece of bubble wrap. They then placed the wrapped items in a too big box (so that the items were moving around the box). Taped the box and affixed the label we had to fill out and gave us a receipt. They then put the box in a plastic bag and secured it with a plastic wire tie.</p><p></p><p>We then had to go through a separate gate security with full xray screening. Brouhaha with security agents over the lens. I put on my best deer in the headlights look until they finally decided I was too daft to be a security threat and let me take the lens.</p><p></p><p>So . . . 13 hours later I retrieve my "box" after presenting my receipt. The box was delivered bouncing along on the baggage carousel along with all the checked luggage. Ugh.</p><p></p><p>Good news - the e readers are working and I believe that the camera is okay also. So no harm, no foul except for the stress.</p><p>[/QUOTE]</p>
[QUOTE="Suzie, post: 807594, member: 861"] Here's my firsthand experience this week flying with the electronics ban from Doha to PHL on Qatar in J. A few days before leaving PHL, I called Qatar to inquire about their policy. I was told that they were making accommodations to gate check electronics. The items would be bubble wrapped, boxed and tagged, and then hand placed in a special location in cargo hold. When we arrived at the J check-in counter in Doha, I informed the agent that we had two cameras and two e-readers to gate check. She looked at me like I had two heads and told me "that wasn't possible" and that they must be placed in the checked baggage. I explained what I had been told by Qatar in the states and asked if she was sure there wasn't another "possibility." She was adamant and told us to take our luggage aside and to pack our electronics in the checked bag. As we were doing so, I grabbed the 300 mm lens and went back to the counter to inquire if I could at least take the lens in my carry-on. At that point a supervisor, with a very fine British accent, approached and said he understood that I had concerns about my camera equipment. I again explained that we were told that we would be able to gate check. He replied that "yes, that was possible." Well, okay. But then he followed with "it is probably better to put in your checked luggage." I told him I wasn't comfortable with that, and he asked if I was referring to damage. I hesitated and then said "not just damage, but theft also." He said "I hope you don't mean on our end - there are thousands of cameras here." Uncomfortable pause . . . to which I replied "no - in general." When I asked how we would retrieve our electronics in PHL - he said he didn't know, no one had asked him that before. So he made a call and assured me that someone on the other end would be handling the electronics and that we would need our receipt to retrieve. He said not many people gate check (wrong) and that it would be an easy process. After an hour in a very unimpressive J lounge, we head to the gate. Pandemonium. 2:00 am full A350 flight. They had a separate desk to gate check. They took all 4 items (minus the 300 mm lens that they deemed okay) and wrapped them together in a too small piece of bubble wrap. They then placed the wrapped items in a too big box (so that the items were moving around the box). Taped the box and affixed the label we had to fill out and gave us a receipt. They then put the box in a plastic bag and secured it with a plastic wire tie. We then had to go through a separate gate security with full xray screening. Brouhaha with security agents over the lens. I put on my best deer in the headlights look until they finally decided I was too daft to be a security threat and let me take the lens. So . . . 13 hours later I retrieve my "box" after presenting my receipt. The box was delivered bouncing along on the baggage carousel along with all the checked luggage. Ugh. Good news - the e readers are working and I believe that the camera is okay also. So no harm, no foul except for the stress. [/QUOTE]
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