Qatar Airways sees US laptop ban lifted

Passengers on Qatar Airways will be allowed to take laptops and other large electronic devices in the cabin on US flights, the airline has announced.

It becomes the fourth airline this week to announce the electronics ban has been lifted on US-bound flights.

The US imposed the ban in March on direct flights from eight mainly Muslim countries to address fears that bombs could be concealed in the devices.

Qatar Airways and its Doha hub airport said they had strengthened security.

The airline said that "with immediate effect, all personal electronic devices can be carried on board all departures from Hamad International Airport to destinations in the United States".

It comes after Etihad, Turkish Airlines and Emirates announced that the ban had been lifted on their US flights.

Airport security

The airlines and their respective hub airports have worked with US authorities to increase their security checks.

Morocco, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are yet to announce the ban has been lifted.

Last week, US Homeland Security announced measures including enhanced screening, more thorough vetting of passengers and the wider use of bomb-sniffer dogs for US-bound flights from 105 countries.

Airlines expressed hopes at the time that the measures would pave the way for the lifting of the electronics ban.

Saudia, the flagship carrier for Saudi Arabia, said this week that passengers would be able to take the electronics on US flights from 19 July.