04 July 2017
Electronics ban on US flights from Dubai unchanged after ban lifted on Etihad flights

Dubai: Dubai Airports confirmed yesterday there have been no changes to the electronics ban on board direct flights from Dubai to the US after the ban was lifted on flights from Abu Dhabi.

In an emailed statement, Dubai Airports said it has offered “full cooperation to work with regulatory officials, control authorities, and Emirates airline to satisfy the US directive as quickly as possible.”

It added, however, that there are no timelines to announce regarding the possible lifting on the ban.

The comments come a day after Etihad Airways said it is fully lifting the electronics ban on board its flights to the US after receiving approval to do so from the US Department of Homeland Security.

Etihad is the only airline that operates direct flights to the US from Abu Dhabi, and currently operates 45 flights a week between the UAE capital and six cities across the US.

They include New York, Washington, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

The removal of restrictions on carrying electronic devices larger than a smartphone on board Etihad flights is effective immediately. It followed a validation of security measures in place at the US Preclearance facility at Abu Dhabi Airport earlier on Sunday.

Only airport

Abu Dhabi International is the only airport in the region with such a facility.

In a statement yesterday, Abu Dhabi Airports confirmed that the ban was lifted on all flights to the US from Abu Dhabi International Airport. The move makes Abu Dhabi Airport the first one to have the ban lifted after it was implemented in March on airports across the UAE, Kuwait, Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, and Qatar.

“New security measures are now in place at [Abu Dhabi Airport] to enable passengers travelling from Abu Dhabi to take laptops and tablets into the cabin as they head to America … We hope that our passengers feel even more secure with these additional security measures,” Abu Dhabi Airports said.

Late last week, Dubai-based Emirates said it would work with authorities to implement new security measures on flights to the US in a move that could potentially overturn the ban on electronic devices on board, Reuters reported.

“Lifting the ban on bringing laptops and other personal electronic devices onboard will be good news for travellers flying to the USA. We look forward to working with the authorities and Dubai airport stakeholders to implement these measures as soon as possible for our US flights,” an Emirates spokesperson said on Thursday.

© Gulf News 2017