Following heightened security concerns, the United States has prohibited passengers on certain international flights from carrying large electronic devices in the cabin. Any item larger than a smartphone must now be placed in checked baggage.
The restriction affects flights arriving from a group of nine airlines operating out of 10 airports in the Middle East and North Africa. Exemptions are limited to cell phones and electronic medical devices; larger items such as laptops, tablets, e-readers and portable DVD players are included in the ban and must be stowed in checked luggage.
U.S. officials cited intelligence assessing that terrorist groups continue to target aviation and may attempt to conceal explosive devices inside electronic equipment. The measure applies to approximately 50 daily flights into the United States operated by the following carriers:
Royal Jordanian
Turkish Airlines
EgyptAir
Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia)
Kuwait Airways
Royal Air Maroc
Qatar Airways
Emirates
Etihad Airways
The airports covered by the restriction are:
Queen Alia International Airport, Amman, Jordan
Cairo International Airport, Egypt
Atatürk Airport, Istanbul, Turkey
King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Kuwait International Airport, Kuwait City, Kuwait
Mohammed V International Airport, Casablanca, Morocco
Doha International Airport, Qatar
Dubai International Airport, United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi International Airport, United Arab Emirates
In parallel, the United Kingdom implemented a comparable prohibition covering flights originating from six countries: Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.
Passengers traveling on affected routes should verify airline and airport guidance before departure. Travelers are advised to plan for checked-baggage handling of larger electronics and to follow any additional security instructions issued by carriers or authorities.