The US administration announced enhanced screening procedures for flights destined to the United States last week (read more here) in place of expanded laptop ban. The Middle Eastern airports where the original laptop/electronics ban has been in place since March could have it removed if they comply with this enhanced screening.
Etihad Airways is the first airlines (that I am aware of) that has been able to remove the laptop/large electronics ban from the flights to the United States effective immediately. Abu Dhabi is also the only airport in the region that offers the US preclearance facility meaning that passengers arrive as domestic at the US ports of entry.
You can access Etihad’s page for this change here.
Here’s the info on that Etihad’s page:
Conclusion
Let’s see if Emirates and Qatar Airways are able to implement these “enhanced” screening procedures for US bound flights so that passengers could again carry their electronics.
I wrote about my own experience flying British Airways ex-Cairo (read more here) where one needs to have large electronics checked in exists. One reader (read more here) had his camera equipment stolen on similar Turkish Airways flight.
As expected.
Finally. Kudos to EY. It was really absurd that the administration was not trusting its own officers at the AUH and the DHS built and approved facility