Top ME carriers loan laptops on US flights
View(s):Doha, gulf-times.com – Qatar Airways has announced a “unique” solution to the recently imposed US ban on electronic devices by offering its business class passengers a “laptop loan service”.
Qatar Airways has thus become the only airline to offer passengers a replacement laptop on all its flights to the United States.
The complimentary laptops will be available to business class passengers travelling on all US-bound flights from next week and can be collected from the gate just before boarding. Customers will be able to download their work on to a USB before stepping on board to pick up where they left-off.
Qatar Airways is offering a “special” service at the gate for all passengers, whereby any electronic items prohibited by the new ban will be collected and securely packaged.
These will be tagged, loaded as check-in baggage and returned safely to the customer on arrival to the US.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker said, “By providing this laptop loan service we can ensure that our passengers on flights to the US can continue to work whilst on-board. While other airlines have relied on their existing onboard offering to comfort passengers we have not rested until we could offer a true solution to our passengers. Our constant innovation and ability to react to changes in the industry is something I am very proud of”.
Meanwhile, Etihad Airways is considering lending some passengers laptop computers and tablets to use on its flights following the new US ban, adds Reuters.
Etihad emailed frequent flyer members on Tuesday to announce it would lend out tablets and offer unlimited WiFi to busines and first-class passengers travelling on US-bound flights.
Etihad has previously said passengers could hand over prohibited devices at the gate in order to minimise the disruption.
Similarly, Emirates is also considering loaning devices to passengers travelling to the United States, President Tim Clark was quoted as telling Bloomberg on Monday.
The new regulations apply to direct flights to the United States from 10 airports in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The regulations, prompted by reports that militant groups want to smuggle explosive devices in electronic gadgets, state that electronics larger than a mobile phone – including laptops and tablets – must be stowed with checked baggage on US-bound passenger flights.