The U.S and UK governments have imposed a ban on electronics in carry-on luggage of passengers coming in from certain countries.
All laptops, iPads, portable DVD players, cameras and other electronics will have to stowed in check-in luggage starting Tuesday, media reports indicated.
The U.S government has imposed the ban on flights coming in from eight countries – in the Middle East and North Africa, while the UK has imposed the restriction on flights from six countries.
A U.S official told The Associated Press the ban will apply to nonstop flights to the U.S from 10 international airports in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia (2), Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (2).
Britain took similar steps to the U.S, with a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May saying that there would be curbs on electronic items in the main cabin on flights from six countries in the Middle East, media reports indicated.
U.S officials told reporters on Monday ahead of the announcement that the decision by the two nations came after reports emerged that militant groups had planned to smuggle explosive devices inside electronic gadgets.
According to the new rules, only mobile phones will be allowed in carry-on luggage.
The airports covered by the U.S restrictions are in Cairo; Istanbul; Kuwait City; Doha, Qatar; Casablanca, Morocco; Amman, Jordan; Riyadh and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates.
Reuters reported that the affected airports are served by nine airlines that fly directly from those cities to the United States about 50 times a day, senior government officials said.
The carriers -- Royal Jordanian Airlines, Egypt Air, Turkish Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways -- have until Friday to adopt the new policy, which took effect on Tuesday.
Britain meanwhile said its restrictions would apply to direct flights from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.
Reuters reported that the British regulations affect British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Monarch, Thomas Cook, Thomson, Atlas-Global, Pegasus, EgyptAir, Royal Jordanian, Middle East Airlines, Saudia, Turkish Airlines and Tunisair.