Turkey is negotiating with international aviation authorities on easing the conditions of a ban barring passengers from carrying large carry-on electronics on U.S. and Britain-bound flights.
Turkish Transportation Minister Ahmet Arslan made this known on during an interview with broadcaster NTV on Friday
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday that passengers travelling from specific airports, including Istanbul, could not bring into the main cabin devices larger than a mobile phone such as tablets, laptops and cameras.
In a related development, the United Arab Emirates, one of the world’s top aviation hubs, has said it was surprised by the ban on laptops in plane cabins bound for the U.S. because UAE security was already tight, but it pledged to cooperate with U.S. authorities.
Washington announced the new measure on Tuesday, prohibiting electronic devices larger than smart phones in cabins on flights from 10 airports in countries including the UAE, Qatar and Turkey.
That will hit Gulf carriers Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways but not U.S. airlines, none of which fly to those airports.
The Gulf airlines have been battling a lobbying campaign in Washington by U.S. carriers that accuse them of receiving unfair subsidies, charges that the Gulf carriers deny.
In the UAE’s first official response to the ban, Sultan bin Saeed al-Mansouri, Minister of Economy and chairman of the General Civil Aviation Authority, said it was surprising because the UAE aviation sector and airports had proven themselves safe.
“The UAE is the number one ranked country worldwide by the International Civil Aviation Organization regarding the UAE’s compliance with international security and safety standards,” he said in a statement late on Thursday.
Mansouri also noted differences between the U.S. ban and a similar step by Britain. The British restrictions do not include the UAE or Qatar, but will affect other carriers including Turkish Airlines.
However, the UAE’s statement said its aviation authority and airlines would continue cooperating with authorities in the U.S. and around the world to ensure safety. (Reuters/NAN)
