DUBAI- Qatar Airways said on Thursday passengers traveling to the U.S. can now carry their laptops and other large electronics on board, ending a three month in-cabin ban on devices for the Doha-based airline.
Qatar Airways joins Emirates, Turkish Airlines and Etihad Airways, which have also announced this week a lifting of the ban on their U.S. flights.
In March, the United States imposed the ban on direct flights originating at 10 airports in eight countries – Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey – to address fears that bombs could be concealed in electronic devices taken aboard aircraft.
Qatar Airways said in a statement on Thursday the ban had been lifted after the airline and its hub airport Hamad International met with new U.S. security requirements.
The United States announced on June 29 enhanced security measures for flights to the country which require additional time to screen passengers and personal electronic devices for possible explosives.
Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker told reporters in Dublin the airline was found to be in compliance with the “new draconian requirements” after an audit over the previous two days.
U.S. transport officials were due to visit Qatar Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airlines on July 5 to check the latest measures were in place, a spokesman for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration told Reuters on Wednesday.
TSA said on Twitter on Thursday the restrictions on Qatar Airways and Hamad International had been lifted.
Airlines affected by the ban have complained that demand on U.S. flights had been weakened by restrictions imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration.
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