You might already have heard about new restrictions on hand luggage on flights to USA and UK,  banning laptops & tablets from flight from certain countries and airlines.

Our travel agents in Nairobi and Addis are aware of the situation and were asked to warn you when booking a flight affected by this.

For those of you who using other agents or just want to know more about this, please see below for more information.

For more information, ask your travel agent when booking and/or follow the links below

Kind regards

Misja Brandenburg | Director Corporate Services
International Livestock Research Institute | ilri.org

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Global Issue: Large electronic items banned from passenger cabin on MENA-US, MENA-UK flights; comply with regulations (Revised)

Level: Notice
Location: United States; United Kingdom; United Arab Emirates (UAE); Egypt; Qatar; Turkey; Saudi Arabia; Kuwait; Morocco; Jordan; Lebanon; Tunisia;
Category: Travel restriction, Transport

Members travelling on non-stop flights to the US and the UK from the Middle East and North Africa should prepare to comply with new regulations issued by both the US and UK authorities, follow all security directives and anticipate possible security delays at affected airports. Passengers travelling on direct flights to the US from ports of departure in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE will be required to place any electronic devices larger than a smartphone in checked baggage prior to boarding US-bound flights. However, electronic medical devices and smartphones will be allowed with carry-on luggage. The UK ban is thus far limited to mobile phones, laptops and tablets above a particular size on direct flights to the UK from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Turkey. The deadline for implementation is 24 March for the US ban and 25 March for the UK ban. It is currently unclear whether airlines may choose to implement the regulation more broadly in an attempt to minimise disruption.

Advice

• Anticipate possible security delays at pre-departure screening at the affected airports while the new procedures are being implemented. All travellers departing from these airports, regardless of their final destination, should arrive earlier than usual to account for delays caused by screening of US and UK-bound passengers.
• Comply with all security directives from airport authorities. Those wishing to minimise disruption may wish to consider placing large electronic items in checked luggage in anticipation of the ban’s implementation. If doing so, consider the security of the content of the device itself. Use only Transportation Security Administration (TSA)-approved measures to secure valuable electronics in checked luggage
• Monitor the US TSA and Department of Homeland Security and UK Department for Transport websites for up-to-date information on changes to regulations.
• Consult the relevant airport or airline directly for more information on new security screening processes prior to setting out for a US and UK-bound flight from or transiting through an affected airport.
• Monitor our alerts for further information.

More detail

The US ban prohibits all electronic devices larger than a mobile phone, including laptops, tablets, cameras and e-readers, from the passenger cabin and carry-on luggage on flights to the US from the affected airports until further notice. Such devices will be permitted in checked luggage. Mobile phones and medical devices will be excluded from the ban, subject to additional screening. The ban may also affect flights from these countries to Canada. Given the variety of countries affected, it is unlikely that the ban is a response to a specific threat.

The UK ban is narrower in scope, and only prohibits phones, laptops and tablets larger than 6.2in x 3.6in x .6in (16.0cm x 9.3cm x 1.5cm).

The US order specifically affects the following airports:

• Abu Dhabi International (AUH, UAE)
• Cairo International (CAI, Egypt)
• Dubai International (DXB, UAE)
• Hamad International (DOH, Doha, Qatar)
• Istanbul Ataturk (IST, Turkey)
• King Abdulaziz International ( JED, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
• King Khalid International (RUH, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
• Kuwait International (KWI)
• Mohammed V International (CAS, Casablanca, Morocco)
• Queen Alia International (AMM, Amman, Jordan).

The UK order exempts flights from Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar and the UAE but also includes all airports with direct flights to the UK from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Turkey.

The Saudi authorities have confirmed that they will implement the ban by 23 March. Statements from officials in the UAE and other countries to the media earlier on 21 March indicated that they would comply with instructions from the US ahead of the implementation deadline.