The travel ban now applies to some devices coming into the U.S. from some flights.
The Trump administration has banned devices larger than a smartphone in the passenger cabin of flights coming to the U.S. from several airports in Muslim-dominant countries. The ban restricts iPads and other tablets, Kindle ebook readers, notebooks, and other larger electronic devices to checked luggage over terrorism concerns.
The policy was announced earlier this week and covers direct flights to the U.S. from Cairo, Istanbul, Kuwait City, Doha, Casablanca, Amman, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. Specific airlines includes in the ban include Royal Jordanian Airlines, Egypt Air, Turkish Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Etihad Airways.
At present, the airlines have until Friday to comply with the electronics ban.
No specific terrorist threat has been cited by the Trump administration, although it’s been thought that militants may want to disguise bombs in electronic devices. Representatives from the administration have stated that the electronics ban isn’t related to the controversial travel ban being pushed forward regarding the six nations with Muslim-majority populations. These countries presently include Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
It’s also been noted that a similar electronics ban being carried out in the U.K. was triggered from intelligence gathered during a U.S. raid in Yemen earlier this year.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via The Mac Observer and Reuters