U.K. May Join U.S. Airline Electronics Ban

CNN/Stylemagazine.com Newswire | 3/21/2017, 10 a.m.
Prime Minister Theresa May is privy to the same information and intelligence as U.S. officials, a Downing Street source told …

LONDON (CNNMoney) -- The United Kingdom could follow the United States in preventing passengers on direct flights from some countries in the Middle East and Africa from carrying almost all types of electronic devices in the cabin, government sources said Tuesday.

Prime Minister Theresa May is privy to the same information and intelligence as U.S. officials, a Downing Street source told CNN. She has discussed security several times with U.S. officials over the past few weeks, the source said.

A decision may be announced later on Tuesday, the source added.

The Trump administration has ordered nine airlines flying from 10 airports in the Middle East and Africa to stop passengers from bringing most types of electronic devices into the cabin for U.S.-bound flights. Instead, they'll have to check them in.

The ban covers any devices bigger than a smartphone -- including iPads, Kindles and laptops.

The indefinite ban will affect more than 50 flights from the airports in the mainly Muslim countries, including major hubs such as Dubai and Istanbul, according to senior U.S. administration officials.

The nine airlines affected by the U.S. ban were notified of the procedures by the Transportation Security Administration at 3 a.m. ET Tuesday and must comply within 96 hours.

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