Turkey Bans Electronics On Flights To US And UK
A ban on several electronic devices on many flights to the United States took effect at Turkey’s main international airport in Istanbul on Saturday, local broadcasters reported.
The ban prevents passengers from bringing most electronic items larger than a smart phone – laptops, cameras, and tablets, for example – as carry-on items on non-US carriers such as Turkey’s flagship Turkish Airlines.
New signs have gone up at Istanbul Ataturk Airport to inform passengers of the restrictions.
Broadcaster NTV showed laptops and tablets being carefully wrapped in bubble wrap by ground staff, amid passenger concern for their devices.
The devices were either directly placed inside checked luggage or were placed in a newly created storage box for safekeeping until being handed back upon landing.
Other airports in the Middle East, the area most affected by the new US and British regulations, also began to impose the ban.
Tunisia’s Foreign Ministry called in the British ambassador to express concerns about the ban, one of a number of governments saying the move was done without consultations.
There are concerns the motivation for the ban extends beyond security and touches on issues of trade.
British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson landed in Turkey on Friday for a trade-related visit.
