Feds Won't Ban Laptops, Will Make Airport Security Awful

Let's start with the good news for international travelers and the airlines that serve them: The Department of Homeland Security has decided not to extend its laptop ban, which prohibits any electronics larger than a phone in the cabin on flights from some Middle Eastern and African countries entering the US.

Bad news is, the feds are compensating by demanding new airport security measures that will make getting through to the gate more of a slog than ever. OK, back to good news: When it comes to making flying safer, these measures stand a much better chance than stuffing your MacBook in the cargo hold.

On Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security announced more rigorous measures for all commercial flights landing in the US. “The United States and the global aviation community face an adaptive and agile enemy,” it said in a statement. “Terrorist groups continue to target passenger aircraft, and we have seen a 'spider web' of threats to commercial aviation as terrorist pursue new attack methods.”