New Security on Flights to U.S., But Etihad Now Exempt From Electronics Ban

New Security Measures Will Apply on Flights to the U.S., but Etihad flights are no longer subject to the Electronics Ban that banned laptops in carry-on luggage on flights from 10 cities from the Middle East and Africa that was implemented in March 2017.

First the good news about Etihad Airways flights from Abu Dhabi. There's a U.S. Preclearance facility for Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi to the U.S., operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, where passengers clear immigration and customs before boarding their Etihad flight to the U.S., which always made it odd for Etihad's flights from Abu Dhabi to the U.S. to be included in the Electronics Ban.

Well, David Lapan, spokesman at the Department of Homeland Security, tweeted earlier today “Kudos to Etihad Airways for swift security changes. Passengers will now be able to bring PEDs (Personal Electronic Devices) into the cabin of their US-bound flights.”

That's great news for those wanting to fly Etihad First Apartment on the A380, Etihad First Class and Etihad Business Class back to the U.S.

Meanwhile, for those flying Emirates from Dubai to the U.S. for now the Electronics Ban still remains in effect, although Emirates does provide a tablet loan Service for US bound First Class and Business Class passengers.

New Security on Flights to the U.S.

Just this past week, however, John Kelly, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, announced that enhanced security measures will be required for passengers on U.S. bound flights from approximately 280 airports in over 100 countries. The new security will include:

• Increased overall passenger screening and vetting
• Increased screening of passengers' personal electronic devices (presumably particularly laptops, tablets, and other larger devices, to ensure they are not explosive)
• Tighter security protocols around aircraft and in passenger areas
• Expanded use of bomb-sniffing dogs
• Additional preclearance locations

It's certainly good news that there won't be an expansion of the electronics ban to Europe or other countries, which had seemed a real possibility back in early May. But there's also the possibility that some airlines if they can't screen passenger and their devices thoroughly enough, could be barred altgogether from flying to the U.S. Fortunately, officials expect that to be 1% or fewer of airlines.

Will Etihad now being exempt from the electronics ban affect any of your upcoming flights or flight bookings?