Qatar Airways joined two other major long-haul Gulf carriers on Thursday in getting off a US ban on laptops and large electronics in airplane cabins, despite facing logistical challenges amid the country’s diplomatic dispute with several Arab nations. Doha-based Qatar Airways, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad, Dubai-based Emirates and Istanbul-based Turkish Airlines all have put security procedures in place to satisfy American authorities. The laptop ban, coupled with the Trump administration’s travel ban on six predominantly Muslim countries, has hurt Middle Eastern airlines. Meanwhile, Qatar Airways has seen its flight paths over many of its neighbors cut off since Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE cut diplomatic ties to Qatar on June 5. Qatar Airways also has announced it wants to buy 10 percent of American Airlines, which would cost about $2.4 billion and possibly further open the US market to the carrier.

Source: Egypt Independent July 06, 2017 10:18 UTC