Qatar Airways’ Laptop Ban On US Flights Lifted

Qatar Airways has confirmed it has been removed from the ban on carrying laptops in the cabin on flights to the United States.

The airline said that with immediate effect, all personal electronic devices can be carried on board all departures from Doha to the US.

Qatar Air said it and Doha Airport have met all requirements of the US Department of Homeland Security’s new security guidelines.

The Qatari carrier is the fourth airline to be removed from the US laptop ban list. Emirates, Etihad Airways and Turkish Airlines have already been approved by the US DHS.

Saudi Arabian Airlines expects to have its ban lifted by July 19, according to local media reports. Reuters quoted an unnamed official at Royal Air Maroc saying that airline also expects the ban to be lifted on July 19.

The other airlines still subject to the ban are EgyptAir, Kuwait Airways, Royal Air Maroc and Royal Jordanian Airlines.

The US Department of Homeland Security issued a directive in March that applied to ten airports and nine airlines. Passengers flying to the US from those airports can only take mobile phones into the aircraft cabin. Larger devices such as laptops and tablets must be put in checked baggage.

The British government later issued a similar order, banning larger electronic devices from aircraft cabins for flights to the UK from six Middle East and North African countries.

Countries affected by the UK ban are Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Turkey. All airlines flying direct from these countries to the UK are affected.