Everything you need to know about Laptop Ban!
The recently announced ban requires passengers to place all electronic items larger than a cell phone in their checked luggage so the devices cannot be accessed in flight. This includes laptops, tablets, e-readers, portable DVD players, gaming devices larger than a smartphone, and travel-size printers and scanners.
What is the ban all about?
The U.S. government was the first to announce it is
temporarily barring passengers on certain flights originating in eight
Muslim-majority countries from bringing laptops, iPads, cameras and most other
electronics larger than cell phones in carry-on luggage. The ban is indefinite
and will affect nine airlines in total. A U.S. official told The Associated
Press the ban will apply to nonstop flights to the United States 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.
What is the purpose of doing it?
U.S. officials said the decision was prompted by evaluated
intelligence about potential threats to airplanes bound for the United States.
The officials would not discuss the timing of the intelligence or if any
particular terror group was thought to be planning an attack. The US Department
of Homeland Security said the ban on selected electronic devices was partly the
result of terrorists seeking innovative methods to attack planes.
Britain is following the ban.
Britain's government announced it is banning electronic
devices in the carry-on bags of passengers traveling to the U.K. from six
countries, following closely on the U.S. ban. The government said in a
statement that Prime Minister Theresa May chaired a meeting on aviation
security in which it was agreed that new security measures would be put into
effect on all inbound direct flights from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt,
Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. Under the new arrangements, passengers on the flights
?will not be allowed to take any phones, laptops or tablets larger than a
normal-sized mobile or smartphone,? into the cabin.
Turkey is seeking for exemption
Turkey's transportation minister said his country was in
talks with U.S. authorities on Tuesday to stop or soften the restriction on
electronics for flights bound from Istanbul. Minister Ahmet Arslan said the ban
would reduce both the comfort and number of passengers, the private Dogan news
agency reported.
The supporters
The security officials are supporting this take as it is
less of work for them. It is indeed for the safety of passengers and planes.
Not everyone is really happy about this, but for now, the ban has been
implemented and executed.