SEPARATING a businessman from his laptop on a transatlantic flight is like removing a mother from her child, and if the ban on hand luggage remains, airlines will be pressured to find other ways to allow mid-air commerce.

Most executives consider business-class flights to be an extension of their working day. They spend their journeys preparing last-minute presentations on laptops or talking into mobile phones in airport lounges. However, the new restrictions prevent them, and every other passenger, carrying on board anything more than tickets, keys, medication and spectacles.

They are now reliant on in-flight entertainment to keep them occupied.

Greg Jackson, managing director of digital marketing agency c360uk, said: “When I fly to America I expect to spend five or six hours working. If my billing rate is £400 an hour that is £2,000 of income I’ve lost, plus all the time wasted in airports. If I can’t work, I’m going to have to watch a movie or relax, but unfortunately that’s not very profitable.”

Increased security measures will put pressure on aircraft manufacturers and airlines to carry many of the gadgets businessmen used to bring on board.

Boeing’s new 787 will have wireless satellite internet, allowing customers to access e-mail, talk on the phone and watch streamed television, but the expensive upgrades will be useless if laptops are banned.

Technology experts say that airlines can overcome this hurdle by installing simple computer software programs into the existing entertainment system. Keyboards could be wireless, stored in the armrest or even virtual. It might even be possible to allow passengers to assign their mobile phone number to their seat and receive calls on the installed satellite phone.

Carl Blume, marketing director of Colubris in the United States, is working with Boeing on new business technologies. “The pieces are already being put in place. With an internet connection and some form of client device either in the seat back or rented out at the gate, people will be able to access their corporate websites and get a whole ton of work done,” he said.

However, it is likely to be a costly wait before this happens. The accountants Grant Thornton estimated that the loss in productivity will cost the British economy about £3.2 million an hour.

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