Easing passengers’ laptop woes

New Emirates service for travellers to US will allow device use until boarding

Emirates will introduce a new service to enable customers to use their laptops and tablet devices until just before they board their flights to the United States.

Emirates customers travelling to the US via Dubai will be able to use their laptops and tablet devices on the first part of their journeys, and also during transit in Dubai. They must then declare and hand over their laptops, tablets and other banned electronic devices to security staff at the gate just before boarding their US-bound flight.

The devices will be carefully packed into boxes, loaded into the aircraft hold and returned to the customers at their US destination. There will not be any charge for this service.

Passengers on US-bound flights starting their journeys in Dubai will have to pack their electronic devices into their check-in luggage in the first instance, to avoid delays.

Emirates is working to ensure that its operations comply with the latest restrictions on electronic devices in the cabin, when the rules take effect tomorrow. The new US security directive applies to all passengers travelling on non-stop flights to the US from Dubai and nine other airports in the Middle East, including those in transit.

Jordan’s national airline has taken up rhyming to cheer up customers following the new US aviation restrictions — and entice them to book flights before more rules are imposed.

Royal Jordanian posted a five-line poem on its Twitter account, telling potential travellers: “Every week a new ban. Travel to the US since you can.”

It promises: “No one can ruin our in-flight fun.”

Earlier this week, the carrier was among the first to announce the United States was banning most electronics, including laptops, on board US-bound flights from 10 airports in the Middle East and North Africa, including Jordan.

The airline later deleted the tweet because Washington hadn’t announced the ban at the time.

Royal Jordanian, which flies to New York, Chicago and Detroit, will begin enforcing the ban today.