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Ban on Electronic Gadgets
Following the recent ban by the US and UK governments to impose a ban against bringing certain electronic devices aboard flights to and from specific countries in the Middle East, your best bet is to be prepared to check any extra gadgets that measure larger than a standard smartphone.
Also keep in mind that Canada and France are now looking into this but have not made a decision yet. Germany, Switzerland and Spain will not impose this ban. Other countries may follow suit. We shall keep you informed with any new updates regarding the ban.
In the US it affects planes coming from airports in Cairo; Istanbul; Kuwait City; Doha, Qatar; Casablanca, Morocco; Amman, Jordan; Riyadh and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates.
Most travelers are used to carrying onto airplanes the banned gadgets for entertainment and work.
Here's a quick look at what you can and can't bring aboard those flights:
Can bring:
- Smartphones
- DVD players
- Portable gaming systems
- Wearable devices, such as smartwatches and fitness trackers
Can't bring:
- Tablets
- Laptops
- eReaders
- Anything that measures larger than 16cm x 9.3cm (6.9-inches x 3.66-inches.)
Measurement guidelines say that any gadget with a screen bigger than 6.9 inches has to be checked in.
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Both Turkish Airlines and Emirates have updated their requirements as follows, for flights to the US and UK:
Turkish Airlines said passengers can use their laptops until they board in a bid to make them "more comfortable" after US and Britain introduced bans on large electronic devices in the cabin of flights from certain countries' airports.
"Laptops, tablets and other electronic devices may be used until the boarding gate where they will be handed over" to the airline's staff, Turkish Airlines said in a statement.
Turkish Airlines said the devices given would then be tagged at the gate for "safe and secure transportation", placed in a special area in the cargo hold of the aircraft and returned to their owners upon arrival at the destination.
The aim was to make sure passengers were "more comfortable" as the bans were implemented, the Turkish flagship carrier added.
The airline said passengers would still be able to use the internet on board with their mobile phones.
Emirates Airline is hoping to minimise the impact of the US electronics ban by allowing customers to hand over their laptops and tablets as they board the plane, rather than putting them in checked luggage when they first reach the airport.
The Gulf airline said their plan would allow travelers to use their electronics inside the airport while they wait to board and mean they could use them on all legs of the trip leading up to their final flight to the US.
For example, passengers flying from Asia to Dubai and then on to the US could keep their gadgets with them for the first leg of the journey and only hand them over as they boarded the plane for America.
