After a lot of confusion yesterday, we have now learned from senior administration officials that the U. S. is indeed banning U. S.-bound passengers from..
After a lot of confusion yesterday, we have now learned from senior administration officials that the U. S. is indeed banning U. S.-bound passengers from carrying any personal electronic devices larger than a smartphone in the passenger cabin. Instead, they will have to put their laptops, tablets, game consoles, cameras and portable DVD players into their checked baggage. This new order does not have a stated end date
Called the TSA “emergency amendment,” the order affects nine airlines that fly out of 10 airports in the Middle East and Northern Africa:
The nine impacted airlines are Royal Jordanian, EgyptAir, Turkish Airlines, Saudia, Kuwait Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Ethiad Airways. In total, these airlines operate about 50 direct flights to the U. S. every day.
The affected airlines have up to 96 hours to implement these changes. If they don’t, the FAA can revoke their certificate and ban them from flying into the Unites States. In the wake of the 2016 attack on Istanbul Ataturk, the FAA temporarily banned all flights from that airport to the U. S., for example, so it’s not unprecedented for the U. S. government to take this kind of action.
The officials stressed that this electronics ban is about the airports these flights leave from for their direct flights to the U.
