Laptop Ban: U.S. Lifts Carry-On Laptop Restriction For Abu Dhabi Airport

The U.S. lifted its laptop travel ban on flights from Abu Dhabi Sunday, the Associated Press reports.

The Department of Homeland Security announced the news on Twitter:

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Department of Homeland Security spokesman David Lapan told the Associated Press that Abu Dhabi International Airport updated its security processes to improve its scanning abilities. Combined with the airport already having a U.S. Customs and Border Protection space, U.S. officials felt comfortable exempting the airport from its existing laptop carry-on ban.

“We commend Etihad for working swiftly to implement these additional measures,” Lapan told the Associated Press. “Their efforts are a model for both foreign and domestic airlines.”

The current U.S. ban on carry-on laptops and large electronics was announced in March and currently affects nine airports primarily in the Middle East. These include airports in Jordan, Cairo, Istanbul, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. In May, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly briefly explored expanding the ban to all international flights, but decided to maintain the current scope of the ban. The United Kingdom launched a similar carry-on ban earlier this year on several countries in the region.

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So far, the ban has been a drag on many airlines based in the Gulf. As the Associated Press noted, carriers like Emirates have cut down on the number of flights offered to the U.S. U.S. officials said the ban was spurred, in part, from threats that these electronics could be used to hold and hide explosives. Similar incidents have happened in recent years, including a 2016 suicide bombing attack at Brussels Airport and a laptop bomb used on a Somalia-based flight.

For now, travelers on international flights should expect additional scrutiny and inspection of their electronics and luggage. Last week, the Department of Homeland Security announced that U.S.-bound flights would begin to be subject to more thorough screening and security policies.