The notebook travel ban may be lifted in a relatively short period of time.
The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday said if security measures are increased at the airports in coming days and weeks, the restriction will be removed.
Back in March, the United States banned electronic devices larger than a smartphone from the cabins of flights coming to the U.S. from 10 airports in eight countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Officials feared that the devices could be used to smuggle explosives on board.
The electronics ban remains in effect for U.S.-bound flights from airports in Cairo, Egypt; Casablanca, Morocco; and Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Earlier this month, the ban was lifted for passengers arriving from Instanbul, Turkey; Doha, Qatar; Amman, Jordan, Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The lifting of the ban following airports’ and airlines’ heightening of security measures on their end.
While the security measures under review were not discussed openly, DHS Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly said in June that the security included enhanced screening of both passengers and electronic devices.
Saudia, the national carrier for Saudi Arabia, said last week that it was working to implement the DHS measures and aimed to have the ban lifted by July 19. DHS spokesman David Lapan on Tuesday said he would not discuss security changes to any flights affected by the ban.
Lapan has stated that the remaining elements of the ban can be lifted after the airlines in question tell U.S. officials they have the new security measures in places. American authorities will need to verify these changes from their end.
Lapan added that all airlines with a last point of departure outside the U.S. will need to need to put the security upgrades in place in order to avoid facing a similar electronic bans. If they don’t, they could even risk having U.S.-bound flights suspended, he added.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via CNN Money