N. Zealand eyes flight security

New Zealand is considering additional security checks on flights from Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East, its transport minister said Sunday.

The new rules would follow similar measures introduced by the United States, Britain and Australia.

New Zealand’s civil aviation authority “is assessing the evidence to determine what is appropriate,” said Transport Minister Simon Bridges, but declined to say when a decision could be made or what measures were being considered.

They would affect passengers flying from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Doha, Qatar, where carriers fly direct to New Zealand.

On March 25, the United States banned electronic devices larger than cellphones from direct flights from eight countries in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey. The ban was made based on intelligence suggesting flights could be targeted for attack.