ANKARA, July 20 (Reuters) - Britain has told Turkish authorities it will lift the ban on electronics in aircraft cabins in flights from Turkey, the state run Anadolu news agency said on Thursday, citing diplomatic sources. The ban has been lifted on the nine airlines affected – Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Royal Jordanian , Kuwait Airways, EgyptAir and Royal Air Maroc – which are the only carriers to fly direct to the US from the region. Those who choose not to cooperate or are slow to adopt these measures could be subject to other restrictions—including a ban on electronic devices on aircraft, or even a suspension of their flights to the United States. On March 21, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a mandate that forced people flying into the U.S. on direct flights from 10 airports in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates to check electronic devices larger than a phone before boarding their flights.
Citing improved airport security, U.S. officials lift the ban on electronics on certain flights to some Middle Eastern countries.