U.S. authorities have issued a carry-on ban on electronic devices on airlines departing to and arriving from 13 countries in the Middle East and Africa. The ban does not include mobile phones and medical devices needed during the flight, but complicates life for business travelers.
US officials are NOT commenting at this time. Sources suggest could be result of new intell threat, not related to travel ban. https://t.co/xk6kDgWqpK
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) March 20, 2017
Prohibited devices include laptops, tablets, cameras, DVD players and electronic games, according to the report, all of which must be placed in checked baggage.
We have no comment on potential security precautions, but will provide an update when appropriate,” DHS spokesperson David Lappan told JewishPress.com in an emailed response, declining to reveal the list of countries affected or the reason for the ban.
Among the airlines affected, however, are Saudia and Royal Jordanian — which tweeted the notice it received from U.S. authorities almost immediately after receiving it. Royal Jordanian soon deleted the notice from its Twitter account, leading to questions about the reasons behind cloak-and-dagger behavior of the DHS around the ban.
What began as a 96-hour directive is now open-ended, according to Fox News, and goes into effect on March 21, 2017. The ban applies in airports in New York, Chicago, Detroit and Montreal.