The U.S. is banning all laptops and tablets on non-stop flights from 10 airports in eight majority-Muslim countries beginning on Tuesday.
The New York Times reported the Department of Homeland Security instituted that ban at 3 a.m. Tuesday on all non-stop flights on foreign airlines from Amman, Jordan; Cairo; Istanbul; Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia; Kuwait City; Casablanca, Morocco; Doha, Qatar; and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
Electronic items larger than cellphones are banned, which also includes cameras and game consoles. DHS said the ban is in place in order to fill in the gaps in airport security at foreign airports. While the move is not a response to any current threats, the department told reporters terrorist groups want to target American planes.
The Times reported the Transportation Security Administration was caught off-guard by the decision Monday evening.
Officials estimated about 50 flights per day would be affected by the new ban. According to the report, Royal Jordanian airlines told passengers that medical items are exempt from the ban and larger electronic items such as laptops and tablets could still be put in checked baggage.
It’s unknown at this point if the ban is a temporary or a more permanent measure.
