Qatar Airways and other airline companies have barred passengers travelling on US-bound flights from carrying any electronic devices on board except smart phones and medical devices.
The step was taken yesterday after the US government issued a ban on carrying electronic devices other than smart phones and medical devices as cabin luggage on direct flights to US from 8 Middle Eastern countries. The airports affected are in Amman, Cairo, Kuwait City, Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Casablanca, Riyadh and Jeddah.According to a new travel alert issued by Qatar Airways, passengers flying to US from Qatar on Qatar Airways flights are not allowed to carry electronic devices like laptop, game consoles or tablets on board.
"Effective 21 March in accordance with new United States government regulations, all passengers travelling on US-bound flights are prohibited from carrying any electronic devices on board the flight other than cellular and smart phones and medical devices needed during the flight,” said the airline.
It added: “Qatar Airways has made special arrangements to assist passengers in securing their devices in the aircraft's baggage hold. Prohibited devices, including laptops, tablets, DVD players and electronic games must be carried in checked luggage only."
A number of other airlines have also issued similar alerts informing passengers not to carry these items as cabin luggage. Meanwhile, Britain also tightened airline security on flights from Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa banning laptops and tablet computers from the plane cabin following a US security warning.
Passengers flying directly to Britain from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Turkey will be required to place those devices and large phones into hold luggage.
Canada is also considering prohibiting personal electronics on board flights from Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa after both the US and Britain announced bans.
The airlines and their host governments have already been informed of the order by US officials, and some of them have begun informing passengers about the restriction. Airlines will be responsible for policing the cabin ban, and if they fail to do so could lose their rights to operate US routes. Laptops, tablets and portable game consoles are affected by the ban — which applies to direct flights to the United States — but they may still be stowed in the hold in checked baggage. Passengers on approximately 50 flights per day from some of the busiest hubs in the Middle East, Turkey and North Africa will be obliged to follow the new emergency ruling.
