America and Britain Ban Carry-On Laptops, Tablets From Middle East Flights; Is Australia Next?

America will no longer allow people to bring laptops and tablets onto airplanes as part of their carry-on luggage, if they’re coming from certain airports in Muslim-majority countries.

The announcement by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was reportedly based on “recent intelligence” that terrorist groups have a desire to smuggle explosive devices in such gadgets, but no specific security threats have been identified.

It comes as President Donald Trump struggles to lawfully implement a ban on immigration from several Muslim-majority nations.

According to the ABC, the United Kingdom is following America’s lead. However, the Australian Government has no such plans to institute the ban. Still, a former Qantas senior executive responsible for security and risk management told the ABC, depending on the substance of the intelligence, it’s “reasonably likely” the measures could come to Australian airports.

In the meantime, Aussies travelling to the U.S. or U.K. via Dubai or Abu Dhabi could find themselves subject to the ban. Prepare to check any devices larger than a mobile phone. (That includes portable DVD players and cameras, too.)

Here are the airports affected by the United States' ban: Cairo International in Egypt; Queen Alia International in Amman, Jordan; Kuwait International; Mohammed V International in Casablanca, Morocco; Hamad International in Doha, Qatar; King Abdulaziz International in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; King Khalid International in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Ataturk in Istanbul, Turkey; Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

The British ban extends to all airports in the following countries: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Turkey.

The affected airlines—Egypt Air, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Kuwait Airways, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines and Turkish Airlines—have until Friday to comply with the new directive.

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