US laptop ban lifted on Qatar Airways

DOHA: Qatar Airways confirmed it has been approved by the US Department of Homeland Security to permit passengers to carry personal electronic items on board US-bound flights, departing from its hub Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar.

The airline gained the exemption after US officials inspected the security measures in full operation at Qatar’s state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport (HIA), an airport recently awarded five stars by Skytrax, the first airport in the Middle East to be bestowed with this recognition.

With the lifting of the electronics restrictions, passengers departing from HIA to all Qatar Air- ways’ US destinations will be able to carry their personal electronic devices on board, and have uninterrupted use of them for business and leisure purposes throughout their flight.

Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive - Qatar Airways said, “We are pleased to announce that the electronics ban has been lifted from Qatar Airways flights departing to all destinations. In the US safety and security are always our highest priority. They are expressed throughout all of our corporate values, and must never be compromised. The security measures in place in Doha allow us to continue to provide our renowned world-class service for all our passengers travelling to the US. We look forward to providing our passengers an even greater choice of US destinations soon, with the addition of San Francisco to our expanding network, on board the most modern of aircraft including the Airbus A350 and our Qsuite retro-fitted Boeing 777 aircraft.”

The airline gained the exemption after US officials inspected the security measures in full operation at Qatar’s state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport