U.S. Bans Laptops, iPads in Carry-On Bags From 10 Airports
The Trump administration imposed restrictions on carry-on electronic devices on planes coming to the US from 10 airports in Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
According to a CNBC report, DHS said passengers traveling from those airports could not bring devices larger than a cellphone, such as tablets, portable DVD players, laptops and cameras, into the main cabin. Instead, they must be in checked baggage.
The new restrictions were prompted by reports that militant groups want to smuggle explosive devices in electronic gadgets, CNBC said.
The airports are in Cairo; Istanbul; Kuwait City; Doha, Qatar; Casablanca, Morocco; Amman, Jordan; Riyadh and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates.
The carriers — Royal Jordanian Airlines, Egypt Air, Turkish Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways — have until Friday to comply with the new policy, which will be in place indefinitely, CNBC said.
The rules do apply to U.S. citizens traveling on those flights, but not to crew members on those foreign carriers. Homeland Security will allow passengers to use larger approved medical devices. The agency said the procedures would "remain in place until the threat changes" and did not rule out expanding them to other airports.
DHS said in a statement it "seeks to balance risk with impacts to the traveling public and has determined that cellphones and smartphones will be allowed in accessible property at this time."
The government said it is "concerned about terrorists' ongoing interest in targeting commercial aviation, including transportation hubs over the past two years."
http://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/21/us-bans-large-electronics-from-10-airports-mainly-in-middle-east.html
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