A ban preventing passengers travelling from the Middle East to the UK from carrying laptops and iPads in their hand luggage could soon be lifted, according to the Daily Telegraph. More stringent security checks could instead be introduced.
This comes after the US recently retracted its personal electronic device (PED) ban on flights from the Middle East to the US in favour of strong security checks on passengers flying to the country.
The two bans were originally introduced after intelligence reports indicated that terrorists planning attacks on aircraft could hide bombs in electronic devices. The UK ban, which was introduced in March, prevents travellers from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia from carrying electronic devices on board flights, with travellers forced to put them in their checked luggage.
A spokesperson for the UK Department of Transport could not confirm whether the ban would be retracted.
“We are constantly reviewing our policies and, as such, we cannot comment on any rumours or speculation at this point,” the spokesperson says.
