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Today's Paper | December 23, 2024

Updated 23 Mar, 2017 04:58pm

PIA looks to capitalise on electronics ban on US-bound flights

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Wednesday seemed to be looking at grabbing some market share from its Middle Eastern competition.

In a Twitter post, the national flag carrier reminded prospective passengers that it remains unaffected by a recent ban on passengers carrying electronic items on US and UK-bound flights.

"Did you know? You can carry your laptop/tablets onboard US bound #PIA flights," the airline tweeted.

Earlier this week, the US had announced a ban on large electronic devices such as laptops or cameras on board flights from up to a dozen Middle East nations.

Passengers flying to the United States from 10 airports will be allowed only cellphones and smartphones in the passenger cabins, senior Trump administration officials said. Larger electronic items must be checked.

The electronics ban affects flights from international airports in Amman, Jordan; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Cairo, Egypt; Istanbul, Turkey; Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Casablanca, Morocco; Doha, Qatar; and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

The rules took effect early Tuesday morning and airlines will have until 3am Saturday to implement them or face being barred from flying to the United States, the officials said.

Following suit, the British government also banned passengers flying directly to Britain from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Turkey from taking laptops and tablet computers into the plane cabin.

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