US LAUNCHES ‘ELECTRONICS BAN’ AFTER THREAT, FLYERS ALLOWED ONLY MOBILES
US measures apply to 10 airports in 8 Muslim majority countries, and only to foreign airlines
The US and UK on Tuesday introduced restrictions on carry-on electronic items larger than a mobile phone on direct inbound flights from several Muslim-majority nations.
The countries in the list vary for the US and UK.
The airports on the restricted list of the US are Amman, Jordan; Cairo, Egypt; Istanbul, Turkey; Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Casablanca, Morocco; Doha, Qatar; and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
Passengers flying directly to Britain from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Turkey will be banned from taking laptops and tablet computers into the plane cabin, a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May said. It was not clear which airlines would be affected by the UK’s restrictions.
Many Indians use the airports of Istanbul, Dubai and Abu Dhabi for boarding last-leg connecting flights to the United States when they fly Turkish Airlines, Emirates and Etihad, and would have begun encountering the new US rules. The restrictions, which apply only to foreign airlines and not to those operated by Americans bar computers, laptops, tablets, cameras and travel printers, which can be carried as checked-in baggage.
The US security measure, which will be in force till October when it could be extended by a year, were not linked to specific intelligence about attacks or plots. Citing ongoing evaluation, US officials said terrorists continue to target commercial aviation by “smuggling explosives in portable electronic devices.”
“Based on this information, Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly and Transportation Security Administration acting administrator Huban Gowadia have determined it is necessary to enhance security procedures for passengers at certain lastpoint-of-departure airports to the United States,” an official said.
In 2014, the US had called for enhanced security at airports around the world for non-stop flights into the US citing intelligence about terrorists trying to smuggle explosive devices. Special screening procedures remain in place at many airports.
Security at US airports has also been stepped up recently. Two weeks ago, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) introduced enhanced patdowns that are more invasive than before, citing continued concerns. Passengers who refused body screening will be put through enhanced pat-downs. TSA agents can also pick out passengers randomly for enhanced search.
US officials said the new rules have nothing to do with President Donald Trump’s executive order under which no new visas and Green Cards will be issued to citizens of six Muslim-majority nations — Iran, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and Libya.
In London, the government spokesman said that direct flights to the UK from these destinations continue to operate to the UK subject to these new measures being in place. He added: “We think these steps are necessary and proportionate to allow passengers to travel safely.”
He said phones, laptops or tablets over 16 cm in length, 9.3 cm in width and with a depth of over 1.5 cm would not be allowed into the cabin.