Ever wonder how the in-flight electronics ban works in practice?
Last week I flew from Istanbul to Los Angeles on Turkish Airlines, in part to experience the new in-flight electronics ban. How did Turkish deliver? See my step-by-step guide below.
Step One: Enter Airport
Istanbul Ataturk Airport is very secure. As you enter the airport, your ticket will be verified and you will proceed through a metal detector. Your luggage will also be screened.
Step Two: Follow Signs to a Special Check-in Area for Your Turkish Airlines Flights to the United States
As you enter the check-in line, you will be interviewed by a member of the security staff. Questions include whether you packed your bags, whether you were given anything to transport, etc…the usual questions on all U.S. bound flights. A sticker will be placed on the back of your passport as proof of the interview.
After the interview, you will be invited to check-in for your flight and drop off your larger bags. At this point, you do not have to surrender your banned in-flight electronic devices.
Step Three: Proceed to Passport Control, Security Screening, and Wait for Your Flight
Stamp out of Turkey and go through a closer inspection of your carry-on items then when arriving at the airport. Be prepared to turn on your electronic devices to show that they are functioning.
Don’t miss the Turkish Airlines Lounge if you have access:
But don’t worry if you do not. Istanbul is a modern airport with the restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and plenty of shopping:
Step Four: Proceed to Gate for Boarding
Line up for flight boarding about an hour before scheduled departure.
Although you will not have to go through a third security screening, your carry-on bags will be searched for banned electronics items. If any banned items are found, you will be forced to “gate check” them for your flight to the USA.
Step Five: Gate Check Electronic Device(s)
If you have banned in-flight electronic devices (all devices larger than a cell phone), your boarding pass will be taken and you’ll be directed to a line to check in your device.
Here’s where Turkish does a great job. Your laptop, tablet or camera will be sealed in bubblewrap. A special luggage tag is filled out with a description of your item(s) and placed directly on the bubblewrap. You also must sign a log verifying that you have checked in your electronic device(s).
All electronic devices, now carefully protected in padding, are loaded into a Turkish Airlines’ rollerboard.
Step Six: Board and Enjoy Your Flight
Turkish Airlines is comfortable onboard. If you’re flying into Los Angeles sit on the right of the plane for a prime view of downtown.
Step Seven: Proceed to Passport Control and Into the Luggage Hall
After immigration and custom formalities, find your luggage carousel and collect your bags. Your electronics will not come off onto the carousel.
Step Eight: Collect Your Electronic Device(s)
You should find a table set up near the luggage belt. The black suitcases checked in at Istanbul filled with electronic devices will be brought directly there. Present your claim ticket and a Turkish agent will find your device(s) and return them to you. Once returned, you will sign a form indicating you have collected your device(s).
CONCLUSION
Of course it was annoying to be compelled to check-in my laptop, but Turkish handled the ban very well. I was pleased both at the safety and promptness of the service as well as being able to keep my laptop until final boarding.
The in-flight electronics ban will likely stick around for awhile. At least Turkish has already streamlined a process for making the ban as painless as possible.
WOW, I am super impressed. I’d be worried about losing my laptop – but no choice I guess.
Very informative.
Good one, Matthew! Appreciate the detailed breakdown.
honestly… I have less concerns about flying them now… I was considering paying to change to UNITED! What a mistake that would have been! Maybe I’ll continue to search for LH F though…
Looks like they are trying hard, and they are doing what they can, but I’ll never let my laptop out of my sight, much less check it and get on a flight wondering if it will come out on the other side. Its just a deal killer.
I flew with Turkish airlines and it’s a very painful process.
First of all they don’t accept large power banks so I had to throw mine away. 50$ in the bin. There’s is strictly no disclaimer on their website about this rule.
Second of all they do lost equipment. I saw it with my own eyes, they lost the electric charger for this poor guy laptop and the staff was absolutely powerless in helping him. This makes you consider if it’s actually safe to give them your valuables.
I will fly with them again because they are so cheap now but those are the reasons why.
But you don’t need to check in chargers — I kept all of mine in my carry-on bag.
You are missing the point.
If Turkish Airlines is capable of losing a charger that was bundled with a laptop then they could very well lose the laptop.
The Emirates process of individual boxing is much preferred to simply putting everything into one big suitcase.
I just flew Saturday June 22 from Istanbul to London, they did the process at the gate… took our laptops, ipad and kindles.
2 portable batteries were taken, they said they will hold for a week otherwise they will be thrown to trash???? We said we won’t be returning for a couple months, so we are without our battery chargers.
After reading more on the travel ban it seems as long as the device is working and charged they will accept it as a carry on.
What is the rule on chargers? we we mislead?
please advise…
other than that is was simple to collect our devices on the other end while getting our checked luggage. Make sure you open them and check screens for damage.
good luck
Thanks Matthew! I am going to fly them to the US next week and your detailed article with pictures helped me a lot. 🙂
And if you give them a lighter and they loose a lighter they very well might be able to loose the whole airplane. Amazing logic, probably similar to that TSA logic that bubble wrapped laptop is now OK, safe and jammed.
Did he leave the charger with separate tag? If I were you I would relocate yourself to United. Just in case.
Nice, thanks. Would appreciate similar write up on Qatar, I’ve got a flight in August
I also flew Turkish last week but to Boston & was impressed with the system they had set up. I had a camera & they wanted to take the camera while I took the bag with lenses, batteries etc, I explained it would all stay together which they agreed if it would fit in bubble wrap. The line was long but it all worked out. Retrieving the camera after the flight went as easy as excepted. I did notice that anyone handing over their laptop, ipads etc were given a card of some sort for wifi.
My preferred airline to Istanbul is Turkish Airlines, but I was worried about any electronics after this latest ban. Thank you for the information. I know first hand of all the security you experience boarding a flight from Ataturk, so why is it safe to take electronics on an American based airline from there (that has to inconveniently make a connection elsewhere) but not the direct flight with Turkish? Could it possibly be corporate greed that saw lost profits to foreign airlines that marketed direct flights to the U.S. rather than for security? I used to dread the trip over with having to route through London or Paris. It will still be worth stowing the electronics to continue to use this airlines now that they have this system in place.
It is interesting they pack them in those roller bags and then just put them in the sectioned off area. I still don’t understand this ban. If the electronic device has a bomb in it, regardless if it in in the checked baggage or within the plane, it would still cause the same amount of damage so it is just stupid the government is making the airlines go through these procedures.
Just what I was thinking. The b**b is still on the plane. This is beyond idiotic.
HI…I know I’m a little late to this thread however…do you know how they handle transit routing through Istanbul with the laptop ban? I’m flying from SFO-IST then connecting to LHR. When I called Turkish to ask about this process, they said they could get my laptop to LHR for me (I have not checked a bag in over 10 years and I’m not planning on doing it now so….) but I said I was OK with them taking it at the gate but I’d rather get it where it needs to go at the airport and repeat the process. Do you know anything about that?
You sill keep your device until you board your connecting flight.
The ban is still ludicrous. It is not safety-related. It is economy 101. It has absolutely nothing to do with safety.
As an avid reader, does that mean one will have to give up my E-reader (Kindle voyage)?
Hello Matthew, thank you for the awesome article. I will be flying Turkish airlines very soon, MIA to IST (layover only) to RCO…. then RCO to IST (layover only) to MIA. I have some camera equipment and a DJI Mavic, from reading your article im assuming they take the Drone and cameras wrap it up and then I would just claim in my final destinations of Rome and back home in Miami? I have called Turkish airlines and TSA and have had some not so sure answers, any info helps a ton!
Hi Andres,
There will be no need to check anything on the outbound trip to RCO. The in-flight electronics ban applies only to USA-bound flights. But indeed, on your way back to Miami your electronics will be taken at the gate, individually wrapped, sealed, and you’ll pick it up at baggage claim in MIA.
Matthew-thanks for the step-by-step guide with pictures. I’ll be flying Turkish Air this week (Paris to Istanbul to Tel Aviv). I just found out about this ban so am just in the first stage of research. Is there a way that you could confirm (or provide a comment) that my flight would not have this ban because it is not going to the US (or is the ban in effect regardless of inbound/outbound destination since Istanbul is one of the cities on the list?)
I almost lost my flight and had to leave iPad and laptop at the Chicago airport because for 45 minutes they did not start with distribution of the electronics. So I had to leave the line, and run to catch connecting flight.
I cold today to see where is it and how I can get it and realized that will not happen soon. What Matthew described is 100% correct but does not happen as easy as you may think. More then 2 hours in line to drop and pickup electronics in my case.
Great information. I have a flight on Turkish Airlines originating in Tashkent and connecting in Istanbul. I have a SLR that will need to check this camera, but what about a small point and shoot camera that is the length and width of a smartphone, but a little thicker? Thanks for the assistance.
Looks like you few Business Class. Is this process the same for cattle class?
I flew economy class.
How can you even consider putting a “modern-airport” tag on an airport with no free-wifi?!
Wasn’t aware of that. That is certainly a strike against it. I know all lounges and most restaurants offer complimentary Wi-Fi, though.
As a fellow blogger over at the Bodrum Peninsula Travel Guide website I know how much work a blog post like this takes to put together, so thanks for taking the time to do this. I’m in Bodrum at the moment and returning to LA next week, so it was reassuring to see the process in motion. Thanks Matthew!
Thank you Jay!
Will travel to UK early June on Turkish air, laptop device to be hand over before boarding? Do I need put in a bag pack first before giving to them or hand over the laptop only? Please advise, tq
Great article — thank you! It’s a big concern for all of us traveling with laptops and fragile camera equipment.
Matthew, this is brilliant, but now I’m thinking I actually should pack my computer in my checkin bag because of the short 1 hour 10 minute flight transfer I have in Istanbul on the way to the UK. I’m afraid I might miss my flight if this process takes too long. I will be on Turkish airline from Mongolia through Istanbul to the UK. The 10 hours between Mongolia and Istanbul is in a plane with no entertainment options. Nothing. So would love to have my computer with me for that leg, but with such a short time between flights, maybe I shouldn’t do it. Any thoughts? And Linda asked a good question above. Will they take your computer in a protective case? It didn’t look like it from the pictures.
Helpful. Thanks!
My mom flew to LAX with Turkish airlines on June 10th .they got her iPad in Istanbul and she forgot to get it back in LAX .she has the receipt but we can not find any contact number or email address to see how and where she can get her iPad back .anybody can give us some information?
I recommend returning to LAX immediately in the afternoon.
Great article, Has reaasured me before my flight. Thanks
Nice article! Thanks, as I am leaving on a Turkish Airlines flight tonight.