Lengthy flights from Saudi Arabia to the United States will now seem longer as the Trump Administration bans non-American carriers from allowing passengers to carry laptops in-flight. New TSA rules on flights originating from Riyadh and Jeddah state that laptops must be kept in checked baggage.
The new rule “had been under consideration since the U.S. government learned of a threat several weeks ago,” an official told Reuters.
An official announcement is expected today while reports swirl about the cause of the ban. CNN, citing an unnamed U.S. official, said the ban on electronics on certain airlines was related to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and that some information came from a recent U.S. special forces raid in Yemen. Reuters says it could not immediately confirm the CNN report, but Reuters has reported the group has planned several foiled bombing attempts on Western-bound airlines.
Via Reuters:
“Al Riyadh newspaper, which is close to the Saudi government, reported that the civil aviation authority had informed “airlines flying from the kingdom’s (Saudi) airports to U.S. airports of the latest measures from U.S. security agencies in which passengers must store laptops and tablets” in checked-in baggage.
“Al Riyadh quoted a civil aviation authority source as saying that these measures from senior U.S. authorities were relayed to the Saudi interior ministry.
“Saudia Airlines confirmed in a tweet that U.S. transportation authorities had banned carrying larger electronic devices in cabin luggage.”
