UK Bans Laptops, Tabs on Flights Coming from 6 Nations including Lebanon
Britain tightened airline security on flights from Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa on Tuesday, banning laptops and tablet computers from the plane cabin following a U.S. security warning.
Passengers flying directly to Britain from Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Turkey will be required to place those devices and large phones into hold luggage, a UK government spokesman said.
"The additional security measures may cause some disruption for passengers and flights, and we understand the frustration that will cause, but our top priority will always be to maintain the safety of British nationals," he said in a statement.
A statement issued by the British Embassy in Beirut said the UK is seeking to “protect airplane passengers” with the new restrictions, noting that the decision “will be enacted from March 25.”
“We are in close contact with the Lebanese authorities, the airport and affected airlines to help ensure that the implementation of the new measures is as smooth as possible for passengers,” a British Embassy spokesperson said.
“Our aim is to protect the safety of British nationals and travelers to the UK, while also ensuring that the links between the UK and Lebanon remain open: these new measures ensure both of these goals can be achieved. We understand the frustration that these measures may cause and we are working with the aviation industry to minimize any impact,” the spokesperson added.
The Embassy statement said passengers are advised to check with their airline before traveling and to arrive at the airport early.
The move came hours after the U.S. government warned that extremists plan to target passenger jets with bombs hidden in electronic devices, and banned carrying them in cabins on flights from 10 airports in eight countries.
The British ban only involves six countries, two of which -- Lebanon and Tunisia -- do not feature on the U.S. list. Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar and United Arab Emirates are on the U.S. list, but not the British one.
"We have been in close touch with the Americans to fully understand their position," the UK government spokesman said.
British Prime Minister Theresa May has chaired a number of meetings on aviation security over the last few weeks, including on Tuesday morning, where the new measures were agreed, he said.
"Decisions to make changes to our aviation security regime are never taken lightly," he added.
"We will not hesitate to act in order to maintain the safety of the traveling public and we will work closely with our international partners to minimize any disruption these new measures may cause."
The change affects six British airlines, including British Airways and EasyJet, and eight foreign carriers, including Turkish Airlines.
Senior U.S. officials told reporters that nine airlines from eight countries had been given 96 hours to ban devices bigger than a mobile phone from the cabin.
The British ban includes phones which are more than 16 centimeters long, 9.3cm wide and 1.5cm deep.
Source: Agence France Presse, Naharnet
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