If your smartphone won’t turn on, you may need to leave it at the airport.
The Transportation Security Administration, known not-so-fondly as the TSA, said it was changing the rules for “certain overseas airports with direct flights to the United States,” whereby travellers will have to prove that their devices, including cellphones, turn on and work as intended.
The move is meant to prevent people from disguising bombs and other potential explosives as electronics, so “powerless devices will not be permitted onboard the aircraft.” The TSA has not yet released the list of international airports, though it’s unlikely any in Canada will be on the list. Still, it’s worth noting, since many Canadians travel through the US to return home and may be subject to this new mandate.
At the very least, it will make people more aware of their phones’ battery levels before boarding a flight, which could lead to a few extra hours of Angry Birds.
[source]TSA[/source]
