US and EU officials meet in Washington this week for further talks on aviation security, as the EU braces for an extension of a cabin ban on large electronic devices to US-bound flights from Europe. The EU has over the last two weeks given the United States information about measures taken by the EU to improve security and has raised the safety risks posed by having large numbers of devices with lithium-ion batteries in the hold. The EU fears the United States has already made up its mind to extend the ban on flights from Europe to the United States and has told airports and airlines to be prepared, according to notes from a meeting, seen by Reuters, in which the European Commission debriefed industry representatives and member states on the result of talks with the United States.The notes from the debriefing, the day after officials from the US Department of Homeland Security met with European counterparts last week, said the impression was that the decision had been taken and that the more the EU engaged with the United States the more the decision could be deferred. A US official said after the meeting last Tuesday there was no link between this week's meetings and a decision on extending the ban, meaning that if the intelligence pointed to a decision being made soon, Washington would so do regardless.<br/>
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One of the central elements of President Donald Trump’s infrastructure plan, a proposal to spin off the US air-traffic system into a nonprofit corporation, would increase federal deficits, according to a budget plan released by the White House Tuesday. By largely eliminating the current taxes on airline tickets and aviation fuel, the White House projects that revenues to the government would decline by $46b in the 10-year period from 2018 through 2027. Costs to the government for running the air-traffic system would drop by about $10 billion a year starting in 2021, according to the budget documents. But that would be more than offset by declines in revenues to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, according to the estimates. The trust fund -- which gets revenue from taxes on airline tickets, aviation fuel and air cargo -- is projected to raise $14.7b this year. The air-traffic proposal’s deficit numbers may create a new hurdle to the plan, which has faced skepticism in Congress.<br/>
As airlines and airports steel themselves for a possible widening of the US ban on laptops and similar-sized personal electronics in the cabin, the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) has warned against falling into “the trap of knee-jerk reactions.” US and EC officials are meeting again this week to discuss the issue. It is believed that the US Department of Homeland Security, which manages the TSA, wants to extend its so-called laptop ban to cover incoming flights from European countries to the US. In a statement May 23, AAPA director general Andrew Herdman said, “The ripple effects of such measures, and their proposed wider expansion, threaten to disrupt the global economy and impose far greater costs on society with no tangible public security benefits. This would only serve to further the aims of the terrorists, who measure their success by how much society over-reacts to their provocations. Rather than focus on generalized screening of innocent passengers, past experience with evolving threats and terrorist plots repeatedly highlight the critical importance of effective intelligence gathering and analysis.”<br/>
Dublin Airport could seek more cash from airlines to help pay for further improvements to its facilities, according to its CE, Kevin Toland. The airport’s operator, State company DAA, has added new aircraft stands and boarding areas since last year, and this week opened an extension to pier one, the departure area used mostly be Ryanair. The DAA’s annual report, published on Tuesday, shows that it earned profits of E108m last year on a turnover of E793m. The company, responsible for Cork and Dublin airports, had net debt of E523m on December 31st. Toland said that Dublin Airport wanted to consult about further possible investment with its biggest airline customers, led by Ryanair and Aer Lingus, and the Commission for Aviation Regulation, which determines what it can charge carriers. However, he indicated that the airlines would ultimately have to cover the cost of this through passenger charges. “We are not going to do anything that customers do not want, but we can’t do anything unless we are paid for it,” Toland said.<br/>
The frenzy to stuff gear into the overhead lockers is one of the most maddening aspects of modern air travel, but imagine if you had your own personal storage area. What if you didn't have to spread your belongings between lockers 10 rows apart and then dodge and weave to retrieve them in the face of a muttering torrent of de-planing passengers. How about your own compartment in the floor to store essential items, free up overhead space and stop the cabin crew telling you off for gear strewn around your feet? This simple solution to airplane storage space has won a team of students from the University of Hong Kong a $33,700 prize as winners of Airbus' fifth Fly Your Ideas competition. The plan for a hinged bin could be rolled out on airlines around the world after judges were taken by the innovative idea, submitted by Team DAELead. "The judges were impressed by the vision and skill of Team DAELead in seeing such a simple but effective solution for improved passenger experience," says a statement on the Fly Your Ideas website. "The new aircraft cabin design fully utilizes the space between the cabin floor and the cargo ceiling to give the passengers their own personal luggage space."<br/>