Electronics ban? No problem, Habibi! Etihad, Qatar offer laptops and tablets to passengers on U.S. routes

DUBAI, U.A.E. - In a bid to retain traveller numbers and find a way around the electronics ban imposed by U.S. and U.K. - Gulf airlines, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways are now lending some passengers laptop computers and tablets to use on board.

Earlier this month, U.S. and then U.K. implemented a ban on all electronic devices from being carried in the cabin on flight, with the ban affecting mainly Muslim majority countries. 

The British ban reportedly applies to flights from six countries, including Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, while the U.S. ban applies to 10 airports in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

On Thursday, Qatar Airways said that complimentary laptops would be available to business class passengers traveling to the United States from next week.

In a statement, the Doha-based airline said that business class passengers will collect the laptops just prior to boarding, where they will also be able to hand over their own devices to be stowed in the hold with checked-in luggage.

According to Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker, the service allowed the airline to offer a "business as usual" service, despite the restrictions.

Meanwhile, a report earlier this week also confirmed that Etihad too is lending tablets and offering unlimited wifi to business and first-class passengers traveling on U.S.-bound flights.

Earlier, the Abu Dhabi-based airline had stated that passengers could hand over prohibited devices at the gate in order to minimize the disruption.

Meanwhile, Emirates President Tim Clark was quoted as saying in a Bloomberg report that the airline is also considering loaning devices to passengers traveling to the U.S.

While Emirates had stated that it was too early to tell if there had been an impact on demand, the airline had noted that its booking rates on U.S. flights dropped 35 percent after U.S. President Donald Trump's first travel ban. 

The move comes in light of warnings by industry experts that the ban could weaken passenger demand for the Gulf carriers on U.S. routes.

The ban was dubbed to push business-class flyers, that Gulf airlines rely on for stop over traffic, to opt for airlines that are not affected by the ban. 

While imposing the ban, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, David Lapan, had stated that the directive runs until October 14 and could be extended for another year, "should the evaluation of the threat remain the same."

The Department of Homeland Security cited attacks on planes and airports over the past two years in an official statement. 

It said that bombs had been hidden in such items as a soft drink can, in the downing of a Russian airliner over Egypt in October 2015 with the loss of 224 lives, and the laptop used in the unsuccessful Somali attack last year.

It further noted, "Terrorists have historically tried to hide explosives in shoes in 2001, use liquid explosives in 2006, and conceal explosives in printers in 2010 and suicide devices in underwear in 2009 and 2012. Evaluated intelligence indicates that terrorist groups continue to target commercial aviation, to include smuggling explosive devices in various consumer items."

A British Government spokesperson had stated meanwhile that, "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."

Officials argued that the airports were selected based on the "current threat picture."

The change was set to affect passengers who travel on roughly 50 daily flights and clarified that crew members are not included in the device ban.

Meanwhile, France's aviation authority said it was conducting a "risk assessment," but that the government had not yet decided on how to proceed.

Canada, on the other hand, said it would make a statement on restrictions soon.

Source: Electronics ban? No problem, Habibi! Etihad, Qatar offer laptops and tablets to passengers on U.S. routes