Article from BTNews 24 JULY 2017
Mid East laptop ban lifted
Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport last week became the last of ten to be exempted from the laptop ban on US-bound flights from the Middle East and North Africa.
Lifting of the ban was announced by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), while Saudi Arabian Airlines confirmed on its website its two hub airports serving the US had received DHS clearance.
The US government in March barred all electronic devices larger than mobile phones in cabins on flights from the ten airports amid concerns explosives could be hidden inside them. Such devices have been allowed only in checked luggage.
Over the past three weeks US officials have progressively lifted the ban after visiting the airports affected in the region to confirm new security measures announced were being properly implemented.
Carriers affected included Etihad Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Kuwait Airways, EgyptAir and Royal Air Maroc.
The new rules announced last month include enhanced passenger screening at foreign airports, increased security protocols around aircraft and in passenger areas, and expanded screening by sniffer dogs.
A travel ban on citizens of six Muslim-majority countries – Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen – remains but has been challenged in US courts.
OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)
All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum
Barry Graham, Washington, DC
Silly President Trump for trying to keep America safe! By the way, what is the state of the UK laptop ban?