Why Electronics Have Been Banned from Flights to the USA | ExpatWoman.com
 

Why Electronics Have Been Banned from Flights to the USA

Details have been confirmed regarding the electronics ban being enforced by select Middle Eastern and African countries...

Posted on

21 March 2017

Last updated on 4 April 2017
Why Electronics Have Been Banned from Flights to the USA


Why Electronics Have Been Banned from Flights to the USA


Further updates have been revealed confirming the details of the latest travel restrictions placed on travellers to and from the USA.

UPDATE 22/03: Details of the recent news of an electronics ban on flights to the US have been confirmed after 24 hours of uncertainty, sparked by a Tweet by Jordan's national airline, Royal Jordanian Airlines.

President Trump hasn't been in the White House for 100 days yet, and another ban has been put in place affecting travel to the United States of America, this is what we know... 


US Ban on electronic devices

According to The Guardian, it was initially reported that US authorities have 'secretly' required airlines from 13 nations to ban passengers from carrying any electronic or electrical devices larger than a mobile phone on board a plane to/from the USA. Apparently, the new change was distributed in a 'confidential' email from the US Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) early this week. 

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The news caught the media's attention after Jordan's national airline, Royal Jordanian Airlines, shared a Tweet announcing the effects to passengers, which was subsequently deleted soon after. 

Despite the Tweet's disappearance, Saudi Arabia's Saudi Airlines confirmed the ban on their Twitter account, which remains on their feed

Since the initial Tweet, Royal Jordanian's Twitter account has confirmed that the ban is in fact 100% effective...

At first, there was uncertainty over what other nations would be affected - and many believed there to be 13 countries affected - however, Gulf News has since reported that the new security restrictions by US President Donald Trump's administration prohibts passengers from carrying electronic devices in the cabin from 10 airports in eight countries.

What does this mean for passengers travelling to/from the US?

The ban will last for around seven months, and is expected to end on October 15th of this year. We must make it clear however: these new regulations ONLY affect NON-STOP DIRECT flights to the United States of America. 

It has now been confirmed that the following airlines will be affected by the new US regulations:

  • Emirates
  • Etihad Airways
  • Qatar Airways
  • Royal Jordanian
  • EgyptAir
  • Turkish Airlines 
  • Saudia Airlines
  • Kuwait Airways
  • Royal Air Maroc

The affected airports are as follows: 

  • Cairo (Egypt)
  • Dubai and Abu Dhabi (UAE)
  • Istanbul (Turkey)
  • Doha (Qatar)
  • Amman (Jordan)
  • Kuwait City
  • Casablanca (Morocco)
  • Jeddah and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)

Basically, any item larger than a mobile phone such as an iPad, Kindle, gaming device, DVD player or even a camera must be packed in checked in baggage, and not left in your hand luggage. 

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While the thought of travelling on a long international flight without an iPad or any sort of entertainment is a daunting one for many of us, it just means travellers for now have to resort to the good old-fashioned form of entertainment: printed books. Or if you're lucky, the in-flight entertainment provided by the airline itself. 

Concerns from future passengers

Of course, the lack of entertainment onboard a flight is not the worry of many travellers... Business persons, or parents with young children or anyone who wishes to complete work while travelling - after all, a good 14 hour international flight is a great time to catch up on work - will now be restricted.

And not only that, but responses on our ExpatWoman Facebook page have voiced their concerns of the handling of what can be, very expensive equipment. 



Martine Chetcuti Spies commented, that "[the] problem is not that I can't have them on me, my problem is I do not trust the handlers! Who will pay for my stuff if it gets stolen or wrecked?"

When will this ban be in place? 

According to Gulf News, a spokesperson for Emirates confirmed on Tuesday that, following the new policy by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), electronic gadgets larger than a mobile phone - excluding medical devices - will NOT be allowed in their flight cabins. 

The directive comes into force on Saturday 25th March, 2017 and will be valid until October 2017. 

 
 

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