London: The UK and US, citing terrorism concerns, yesterday barred passengers on some international flights from mostly Muslim-majority countries, from carrying large electronic devices like cameras and laptops as cabin baggage.
Passengers travelling to the US from 10 airports in eight Muslim-majority countries, including from global hubs like Dubai and Istanbul, cannot carry large electronic devices like cameras and laptops as cabin baggage under a new Trump administration order.
According to the tough security restrictions, passengers will have to check in any devices bigger than a smartphone – including iPads, Kindles and laptops – before clearing security or boarding, US officials said.
The open-ended ban by the US will affect more than 50 flights from 10 airports in Cairo, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Doha, Amman, Kuwait City, Casablanca, Jeddah and Riyadh.
The nine airlines are Egyptair, Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, Kuwait Airways, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines and Turkish Airlines. The nine airlines affected by the ban were notified of the procedures by the Transportation Security Administration yesterday and must comply within 96 hours.
The UK security rules will cover around 14 airlines that operate direct flights from six Muslim-majority countries – Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.
Under the new arrangements, passengers boarding flights to the UK from the countries affected will not be allowed to take any phones, laptops or tablets larger than a normal sized mobile or smartphone into the cabin of the plane.
“The additional security measures may cause some disruption for passengers and flights, and we understand the frustration that will cause, but our top priority will always be to maintain the safety of British nationals,” a UK government spokesperson said.
Senior US administration officials said the rules were prompted by “evaluated intelligence” that terrorists continue to target commercial aviation by “smuggling explosives in portable electronic devices.”
“US carriers are not affected because none of them fly from the airports in question to the US.” Royal Jordanian Airlines told passengers that medical devices were still allowed.