TRAVEL ALERT: US cabin electronics ban partially lifted

Three months after instituting a ban on cabin electronics larger than a smartphone, US authorities have instituted changes that will provide partial relief. On June 28, the US Department of Homeland Security released new guidelines for aviation security that affect all passengers inbound to the United States. This affects passengers flying from over 280 airports in 105 countries. The updated requirements include:

[lists style=”check”]

• Enhancing overall passenger screening;
• Conducting heightened screening of personal electronic devices;
• Increasing security protocols around aircraft and in passenger areas; and
• Deploying advanced technology, expanding canine screening, and establishing additional preclearance locations.

[/lists]

New requirements met by some previously affected airports

These new requirements supersede the interim restrictions placed on 10 airports where the “laptop ban” was in place:

[lists style=”right-thin”]

• Cairo
• Dubai
• Abu Dhabi
• Istanbul
• Doha
• Amman
• Kuwait City
• Casablanca
• Jeddah
• Riyadh

[/lists]

By adopting the updated requirements, some of these airports have been able to resume normal operations. So far, Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports have announced that they are compliant. Thus, flights from these two airports, including flights on Emirates and Etihad, no longer separate passengers from their electronic devices.

Effective immediately, the electronics ban has been lifted for Emirates’ flights from Dubai International to the USA.

— Dubai Airports (@DubaiAirports) July 5, 2017

New security measures now in place @AUH Abu Dhabi airport will allow passengers to bring laptops and tablets in cabin.

— UAE Embassy US (@UAEEmbassyUS) July 2, 2017

If you are flying from any of the other airports listed above, check with your airline to confirm whether you can carry your electronic devices on board. For more information about the recent DHS revisions to aviation security, view their FAQs here.

Update 7 July 2017

All electronics are now allowed on flights to the US from Turkey and Qatar now too:

Qatar Airways is delighted to announce that all electronic items
can once again be carried on board all flights to the United States pic.twitter.com/f5GS1F8fA4

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) July 6, 2017

Your laptops, tablets, cameras and other electronic devices are passengers to the United States again! pic.twitter.com/QUSDHM9T15

— Turkish Airlines (@TurkishAirlines) July 5, 2017