Qatar on Thursday became the third nation on a list of eight
Muslim-majority countries, where ban on electronic devices in aircraft cabins
heading to the U.S. has been lifted.
Two days earlier, Turkey was removed from the list as well as the
Dubai-based Emirates Airlines.
In late March, the new US administration imposed a ban on large
electronic devices from airline cabins on direct flights out of Middle Eastern
airports in eight countries.
The 10 affected airports are in Abu Dhabi, Amman, Cairo,
Casablanca, Doha, Dubai, Istanbul, Jeddah, Kuwait City and Riyadh. US
authorities cited security concerns for the ban.
The US move followed President Donald Trump’s 90-day ban on most
travellers from Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, and a 120-day
halt to refugee approvals from around the world.
A few days later, the British government said that Britain would
follow the U.S. ban on electronic devices.
“We have been in close touch with the Americans to fully understand
their position,” Prime Minister Theresa May’s office said.
After three-and-a-half months of restricting the devices on Middle
East flights to the US, the United
Arab Emirates announced that the ban
had been lifted on Etihad Airways on Sunday.
The relaxation of the order came after the UAE, Turkey and Qatar
implemented additional security measures.
The US had justified the decision as a protective security measure
against potential terror attacks.
The US said intelligence authorities suspected terrorist groups of
continuing “to target commercial aviation, to include smuggling explosive
devices in various consumer items”.
Saudi Arabia may be the fourth country where the ban on electronic
devices will be lifted.
Saudi Arabian Airlines is working with the General Authority of
Civil Aviation on implementing new security measures in connection with the
guidelines issued by the US Department Homeland Security, the Saudi Press
Agency reported on Tuesday.
“As soon as Saudi Arabian Airlines meets the US Homeland Security
Department’s requirements, all passengers will be allowed to carry electronic
devices on flights heading to the US latest by July 19,’’ the agency
said.Turkey is also in talks with Britain to lift a similar ban, the Turkish
transportation minister told private broadcaster, NTV.On April 19, Dubai-based
airline, Emirates, said it would decrease flights to five from its 12 US
destinations starting May 1 due to weakened demand.
Turkish Airlines said the ban affected a total of 1,087 flights in
the past months.
However, the US laptop ban is still being considered for flights
from Europe, with the Department of Homeland Security saying on May 30 that the
ban was still “on the table.”
By the end of June, the US said it would require more stringent
screening of passengers boarding commercial flights to the US as part of a
series of aviation security measures.
The new measures are independent of the ban on large electronic
devices and would affect 280 airports in 105 countries and 180 airlines.
The measures include enhanced screening of electronic devices, more
thorough passenger vetting and new measures designed to mitigate the potential
threat of insider attacks. (NAN)
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