Electronic device ban fully lifted on flights from Abu Dhabi to the US
View(s):The US Department of Homeland Security has lifted a ban on electronic devices on flights between Abu Dhabi and the US with effect from July 2, Abu Dhabi national carrier Etihad Airways said.
“Effective immediately, the removal of the restrictions allows passengers flying to the US to carry all laptops, tablets, and other electronic devices onto the aircraft, subject to enhanced security measures. We would like to thank our guests for their understanding and loyalty while the ban was in place,” the airline said in a media announcement.
All Etihad Airways guests travelling to the US clear US Immigration and Customs at the US Preclearance facility in Terminal 3 at Abu Dhabi International Airport, the only one of its kind in West Asia.
When guests land in the US, they arrive as domestic passengers with no requirement to queue for immigration and custom checks again.
Affecting 180 airlines and 280 airports, it is anticipated that Etihad Airways is one of the first airlines to be able to satisfy the short-term measures required by the Transportation Security Administration due to the superior security advantages provided by the preclearance facility, the release said.
Etihad Airways currently operates 45 flights a week between Abu Dhabi and six cities across the United States – including double daily to New York, daily to Washington, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles, and three-times-per-week to San Francisco.