US bans electronics on some flights
The US has announced a ban on electronic devices from cabin baggage on flights from eight mainly Middle Eastern and North African countries.
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Officials said extremists were planning to bring down passenger jets with bombs hidden in laptops, tablets cameras, DVD players and electronic games.
The measure will affect nine airlines operating out of 10 airports.
Large electronic devices will only be allowed on board in checked baggage. Phones are exempt from the new rules.
US officials said the airlines had been given 96 hours, beginning at 07:00 GMT on Tuesday, to ban devices bigger than a mobile phone or smartphone from cabins. They said the ban had no end date.
The airports affected are:
- Queen Alia International, Amman, Jordan
- Cairo International Airport, Egypt
- Ataturk Airport, Istanbul, Turkey
- King Abdulaziz International, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- King Khalid International, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Kuwait International Airport
- Mohammed V International, Casablanca, Morocco
- Hamad International, Doha, Qatar
- Dubai International, United Arab Emirates
- Abu Dhabi International, United Arab Emirates
The nine airlines are:
- Royal Jordanian
- Egypt Air
- Turkish Airlines
- Saudi Arabian Airlines
- Kuwait Airways
- Royal Air Maroc
- Qatar Airways
- Emirates
- Etihad Airways
Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly called members of Congress over the weekend to explain the security issues behind the ban, congressional aides said.
The restrictions had been under consideration for several weeks, US media said.
Credit: The BBC
