The UK government has announced a blanket ban on large electronic devices being carried as hand luggage on aircrafts flying in from six countries.
The ban will specifically affect flights from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.
Passengers flying into the UK from these countries will now need to check in laptops, tablets and phones which are larger than a typical Smartphone, measuring 16cm by 9.3cm by 1.5cm, with hold luggage.
Discussions arose after the US imposed restrictions on flights originating in Cairo, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Kuwait, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Doha and Istanbul.
The ban was ordered by Prime Minister Theresa Ma, following a number of meetings on aviation security.
Airlines have been warned of the changing regulations; however it is likely to take a few days to fully implement the security measure.
A Government spokesman said: “The safety and security of the travelling public is our highest priority.
“That is why we keep our aviation security under constant review and put in place measures we believe are necessary, effective and proportionate.
“The additional security measures may cause some disruption for passengers and flights, and we understand the frustration that will cause, but our top priority will always be to maintain the safety of British nationals.
“Decisions to make changes to our aviation security regime are never taken lightly.
“We will not hesitate to act in order to maintain the safety of the travelling public and we will work closely with our international partners to minimise any disruption these new measures may cause.”
Leading airlines have also released individual statements.
British Airways have said: “Following an announcement by the UK Government we are advising customers departing from affected airports to arrive in good time at check-in and to refer to ba.com for the latest information.”
Thomas Cook said: “The new measures mean that laptops, tablets and e-readers will not be allowed in hand luggage and must be placed in the hold.
“This includes duty-free purchases of these devices in the airport. There will be no restrictions on regular-sized mobile phones, including the iPhone 7 Plus or Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.”
The ban will particularly affect passengers who book cheaper, hand luggage-only tickets, forcing them to have to pay to check a bag in, but flyers can still take most smartphones, games consoles and DVD players onto the plane.
Passengers should contact their airline for more information.
