The United States has lifted the ban on carrying laptops and other large electronic devices on US-bound flights from Dubai and Istanbul, Emirates and Turkish Airlines said on Wednesday. Emirates said it worked with US authorities to adhere to the new security rules, BBC reported.
“Effective immediately, the electronics ban has been lifted for Emirates’ flights from Dubai International Airport to the USA,” a statement said. The airline thanked customers for “their understanding and patience during the last few months”.
Turkish Airlines too said laptops would be allowed on US-bound flights from Wednesday. Its Chief Executive Bilal Eksi also tweeted that the airline expected a similar ban on UK-bound flights to be soon lifted. Turkish Transport Minister Ahmet Arslan said on Tuesday that US officials would examine explosives detection machines at airports across Turkey, reported Al Jazeera.
On Sunday, the US lifted a ban on laptops on flights from Abu Dhabi to the United States, saying Etihad Airways had incorporated the tighter security measures recommended by its Department of Homeland Security.
Meanwhile, Saudia, the official airline of Saudi Arabia, said it expected that passengers would be able to take electronics on US flights from July 19, reported Reuters. But US authorities said it was too early to say whether the carrier would satisfy the new security measures for US-bound flights.
The US had in March imposed the ban on flights originating at 10 airports in eight countries - Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey, claiming that bombs concealed in electronic devices could be flown to the US. The United Kingdom had soon followed with a similar ban.
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