Passengers heading for the United States or the United Kingdom will have to prove that their electronic device has a battery that works properly
In the airport before leaving we lose a lot of time. Boarding the luggage, the various controls and then the wait for the gate to open. Time that we use to have fun or work with the smartphone. But be careful not to drain the battery: on flights to the USA and the UK you cannot board with your smartphone unloaded.
We are not talking about a decision that is taken by the operators of the various airports, but about a provision of the Transport Security Administration (TSA), the U.S. government agency that deals with security checks at airports. According to the rules imposed by the agency, passengers bound for the United States cannot board the plane with their smartphone completely unloaded. During metal detector checks, operators may ask travelers to turn on their smartphones. If they do not work, the passenger either leaves the device on the ground or cannot leave.
Why you cannot board for the United States with your smartphone unloaded
The law does not provide for distinctions, so much so that all international airports that operate flights to the United States are subject to these rules. If the rule is not enforced, passengers will be stopped for checks upon arrival and the airline will be heavily fined. Same treatment for the airport of origin. This is a plan put in place by the United States now in 2014 to counter terrorist activities on flights and large airports. According to intelligence reports, in fact, terrorists could replace the battery of smartphones and cell phones with powerful explosives and attempt, thus, to cause a massacre in flight. By verifying that the device turns on, airport security officers will be assured that the battery has not been replaced.
Electronic Device Laws
This is yet another rule and check for travelers with electronic devices. Those who travel frequently, especially for work, will have noticed the new controls, which have been in place for years, on the various computers, tablets and smartphones that must be passed through the controls outside of your suitcase and separated from the rest of your luggage. The battery rule also applies to notebooks. If they do not work, the passenger will have to connect the device to the power and if even in this case the PC does not work, it will undergo thorough checks to see if the computer has been tampered with to hide a device. For terrorists, in fact, it is easy to camouflage inside smartphones and tablets particular explosive charges.