UK bans laptops and tablets on flights from six Middle East countries, following US lead

The British government has announced a cabin baggage ban on laptops and tablets on direct inbound passenger flights from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, following a similar move by the US on Monday.

Six UK airlines – British Airways, EasyJet, Jet2, Monarch, Thomas Cook and Thomson – and eight foreign carriers are affected.

The UK transport secretary, Chris Grayling, said the UK had been in close touch with the US to understand their approach.

“We understand the frustration that these measures may cause and we are working with the aviation industry to minimise any impact,” he said in a written statement to parliament announcing the change. “Our top priority will always be to maintain the safety of British nationals.”

In the US, the airports covered by the restrictions are in Cairo; Istanbul; Kuwait City; Doha, Qatar; Casablanca, Morocco; Amman, Jordan; Riyadh and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates.

The affected airports are served by nine airlines that fly directly from those cities to the United States about 50 times a day, senior government officials said.

The ban would continue for the "foreseeable future," a US government official said on Tuesday, adding that it was possible it could be extended to other airports and other countries.

The moves by the two countries were prompted by reports that militant groups want to smuggle explosive devices inside electronic gadgets.

US officials said militant groups are known for innovative bomb designs, including embedding them inside computers. Yemen-based Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) also has boasted of one of the world's most feared bomb makers, Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri.