US may expand airline laptop ban to Europe

European Union calls for urgent talks

THE EUROPEAN UNION has demanded urgent talks with the United States over a possible extension to some European countries of a US ban on airline passengers taking laptops into cabins, saying any security threats faced are common.

The Trump administration is likely to extend the ban already applicable to flights originating from 10 specific airports in the Middle East, north Africa and Turkey because of fears that a concealed bomb could be installed in electronic devices taken onto an aircraft, officials said.

In a letter to John Kelly, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Elaine Chao, US Secretary of Transportation, and seen by Reuters, the EU executive said it was important that information concerning possible threats involving EU airports be shared.

“We therefore reiterate our willingness to pursue constructivedialogueandweproposethat meetings are held as a matter of urgency,bothatpoliticalandtechnicallevel,tojointlyassesstherisk and review possible common measures,”wrotevioletabulc,eu Transport Commissioner, and Dimitris Avramopoulos, Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship.

While no decision has yet been taken, any restrictions could hit major European airlines such as Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France-klm and industry sources have said airlines and airports have already been working on possible contingency measures.

Olivier Jankovec, directorgeneral of airport trade association ACI Europe, said it was worrying that there appeared to be little coordination between the EU and the United States.

“We know that in the current geopolitical context, with the kind of terrorist threat we face, an efficient response is really predicated on international cooperation - around the threat assessment and the sharing of intelligence. This is not taking place,” Jankovec said at a CAPA Centre for Aviation industry conference near Dublin.

The United States imposed the ban in March and was quickly followed by Britain which imposed restrictions on a slightly different set of routes.

European aviation security experts are meeting in Brussels on Thursday to consider possible responses to any extension of the ban. Two EU officials said the discussions had so far concentrated on maintaining a common front. The EU Ambassador to the United States will meet with Kelly in the coming days to discuss the issue, one of the officials said. REUTERS