My friend Matthias Bruggman is a freelance photographer, jetting around the world to take pictures of various interesting things, usually in the company of writers and other journalists. This morning he was denied entry onto an El Al airlines flight because he was carrying a Canon EOS-1D digital SLR camera and an iBook—neither of which are listed on El AL’s baggage information page as being grounds to be prohibited from flight. Matt says, “When I asked them why it wasn’t publicly communicated, they answered that ‘they can’t have a list with all the permitted and prohibited cameras.’ Same with the laptop, according to the security dude the 1Ds and the iBook are too complex to be taken apart.”
Strangely, film cameras were allowed on board, and Matthias was told he could bring batteries and his camera bag (despite those being just as likely to hold explosives or something dangerous). There is a history of improper security checks at Ben Gurion for journalists, but this is the other way around—flying in. Even though the El Al employees were polite about it all, it’s still silly. Are only electronics that can be disassembled by airport staff to be allowed in the air? Are they going to train screening staff about what a half-real/half-explosive battery looks like?
EOS 1ds’s banned from Elal. [BoringCH]
Update: So far my communications with El Al has yielded only the information that their only policy is one carry on bag per person (plus a handbag for women) that must be able to fit under the seat and “We do not discuss security.” Granted, this is from the PR office, but when I asked if they even had a catch-all “We reserve the right to ban anything from the flight for any reason” policy, I was told that they do not discuss security, nor could I speak to an executive in that department.
I think we all agree that El Al should do whatever they feel is necessary to protect their flights—I just wish they’d tell customers what those rules will are so we can plan accordingly.
