RJ to abide by new US electronics ban as of March 24

AMMAN — US authorities have banned passengers flying from Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) to the US from carrying electronic and electrical devices in the cabin, Royal Jordanian (RJ) said Tuesday.

The US authorities issued new rules that prohibit passengers on flights to the US from carrying electronic and electrical devices in the aircraft cabin, restricting them to carrying these devices in their checked baggage.

The decision of the US authorities included the flights from Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport, besides the departing flights from nine other airports in the Middle East, and North Africa, it said in a statement to the Jordan Times.

RJ will implement these instructions as of March 24, 2017. 

"By taking these measures, it spares passengers the hassle of having to go through legal procedures in the US. RJ passengers departing from QAIA to the US are not allowed to carry any electronic or electrical devices on board the aircraft cabin.

“Prohibited devices, which include — but are not limited to — laptops, iPads, tablets and cameras, can be transported in the checked baggage only, whereas cellular phones and needed medical devices are excluded from the ban," it stated.

RJ stations in the US include: New York, Chicago and Detroit, in addition to Montreal, as it is served by a combined flight with Detroit.

The decision excludes passengers flying from these stations to Amman.

RJ called upon its passengers travelling to the US to abide by these instructions to facilitate their travel. They are also requested to inform airport check-in staff of any prohibited devices  which are still in their possession in order to be put in their checked baggage.

Social media users slammed the decision.

“We are living in the 21st century. If they have any concerns they have to take other precautions. No one will want to have the laptop with the luggage. Who will pay if the electronic machine is broken,” Adnan Kral said in a post on Facebook. 

Jemma Bezant echoed similar remarks.

“This is a disaster; nobody in their right mind would put a tablet, laptop or camera in their checked luggage,”Beznat said.

The reason for the ban was not immediately clarified. US security officials would not comment. The ban was revealed Monday in statements from Royal Jordanian Airlines and the official news agency of Saudi Arabia.

A US official told The Associated Press the ban applies to nonstop flights to the US from 10 international airports serving the cities of Cairo in Egypt; Amman in Jordan; Kuwait City in Kuwait; Casablanca in Morocco; Doha in Qatar; Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia; Istanbul in Turkey; and Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE. The ban was indefinite, said the official.