US to ban laptops and tablets in cabins of planes from Muslim countries

U.S. authorities have banned carrying electronics larger than cell phones into the cabin of airplanes. The ban applies to flights to the US from a dozen airports in eight countries whose residents are predominantly Muslim.

These would be major airports located in Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Kuwait, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Travelers flying from these airports to an American airport will now have to check in devices such as laptops and tablets. Reuters reports this based on US government officials.

The measure, which would be linked to an unspecified terrorist threat posed by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, was officially announced Tuesday by the US Department of Homeland Security, according to multiple sources. Some airlines from the countries concerned have already confirmed the news. Among them are Turkish Airlines and Saudi Arabian Airlines. Royal Jordanian had previously confirmed the news in a now-deleted message on Twitter.

The new rules apply to passengers of all nationalities on the relevant flights; airline staff will not be affected by the new rules.

Various media report that the United Kingdom may announce a similar arrangement. It would be the same ten airports from the same eight Muslim countries. This arrangement from the UK would not be a response to an acute threat, but rather a response to the overall threat in the aviation sector.