Electronics ban on flights from Turkey to United States lifted: Reports

The lifting of the ban comes three months after US imposed the restriction citing security concerns.

A three-month-old ban on taking electronic devices such as laptops into aircraft cabins on flights from Turkey to the United States was lifted on Wednesday, the private Dogan news agency reported.

People travelling from 10 airports in eight countries to US were banned from bringing laptops, tablets and other electronic devices larger than cellphones into the flight cabin. (AFP File Photo)

It said flag carrier Turkish Airlines accepted passengers with electronic devices onto its 6:45 am (0345 GMT) flight from Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport to New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport on Wednesday morning.

The US department of homeland security announced passengers on flights from 10 airports in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates would be required to stow their laptops, tablets, Kindles, gaming devices, cameras and other large electronic devices in checked baggage.

Soon after, Britain followed suit. Both countries cited intelligence indicating passenger jets could be targeted via explosives planted in electronic devices.

Chief executive of the airlines, Bilal Eksi, on Twitter said he expects the ban on flights to Britain to also be lifted soon.

The British ban sparked concern in tourism-dependant Tunisia, which is trying to recover from 2015 jihadist attacks that killed holidaymakers.