US bans electronic devices from cabins for flights from Qatar
The US government is temporarily barring passengers on flights originating in Doha from bringing laptops, iPads, cameras and most other electronics in carry-on luggage from today.
Eight other countries in the Middle East and Africa are included in the ban.
A US official said the ban will apply to nonstop flights to the US from 10 international airports serving the cities of Cairo in Egypt; Amman in Jordan; Kuwait City in Kuwait; Casablanca in Morocco; Doha in Qatar; Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia; Istanbul in Turkey; and Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The official, who spoke to the Washington Post, said the ban was indefinite.
CNN Money reported that the ban covers any devices larger than a cellphone. An aviation official told CNN that there is a security concern regarding passengers boarding nonstop flights to the US from specific countries.
This relates to the “screening in [some] countries” for nonstop flights to the US.
They added that they believe a threat to the US would be negated if a passenger transferred through a secondary city with additional and more trustworthy screening procedures.
The directive is to ensure enhanced security measures at select airports for a limited duration.
Royal Jordanian, in a now-deleted Tweet, said that cellphones and medical devices were excluded from the ban. Everything else, the airline said, would need to be packed in checked luggage. They said added that the electronics ban affects its flights to New York, Chicago, Detroit and Montreal.
Royal Jordanian has deleted its tweet regarding the #electronicsban. pic.twitter.com/LdFsAPWfMy
— Jon Ostrower (@jonostrower) March 20, 2017
In a written statement, the Department of Homeland Security said, “We have no comment on potential security precautions, but will provide any update as appropriate.”
A State Department official says embassy officials have been notifying relevant countries and airlines.
No American carriers have been affected by the ban, reported Reuters.
Meanwhile, it is understood that Qatar Airways flights from Doha to US cities have not been affected yet. An Al Jazeera journalist, who spoke to an information desk representative at the Hamad International Airport at 5am, was told the ban had not started being enforced yet.
There was an intense backlash on social media sites about the recent ban. Here are some of the reactions that could be found online.
The US government is totally out of control now #electronicsban. I'd rather shoot myself in the foot than going there.
— Kai Koenig (@agentK) March 21, 2017
As a former senior executive w/ an airline affected by #ElectronicsBan I call BULLSHIT. This isn't about security, this is protectionism! pic.twitter.com/IdaekIgK13
— Dudley Snyder (@DudleyNYC) March 21, 2017
They said it already - checking electronics doesn't improve security. This is just an attack on Middle Eastern carriers #electronicsban
— Dantorp Aviation (@DantorpAviation) March 21, 2017
Does the #ElectronicsBan include cameras? Because we know for a fact the cameras & laptops never break or get stolen when in cargo, right?
— Waleed Alzuhair (@65WZ) March 21, 2017
Oddly, there aren't currently any non-stop inbound flights from Kuwait, suggesting this is not a short-term measure. #electronicsban https://t.co/EgKBkMJTFp
— Judah Ariel (@judahariel) March 21, 2017
**Stay updated more details**
Do you know anyone flying to the US today?
Wise folks would invest in cement companies very quickly & make huge profits ............ ..............
This is going to be affect the business whom has got head quarters in US and operation in gulf countries.
I agree its their land and their sovereign right to impose whatever security restrictions, rules, regulations, bans.
there are other types of bans in other countries why don't this be commented in social media.
It's their land and their sovereign right to impose whatever security restrictions, rules, regulations, bans, et al
Haha, they must really take us to be innocent babies with teats in our mouths; sure, screening is a relaxed affair at our airports but that isn't the primary motivation behind this... Either way, I don't care and may god never again take me to that place and they can build a wall all around themselves and not just with Mexico...
Interesting - ".....more trustworthy screening procedures." - What really lies behind the move ?