After weeks of intense deliberation, the US has decided not to ban laptops from flights coming from Europe. The Department of Homeland Security Secretary, John Kelly, had previously said that the US government was considering a complete ban from flight cabins coming into the country. However, the tension seems to have eased as the department has chosen not to go ahead with the ban.
In a statement, DHS clarified:
"[There is a] need to raise the bar for aviation security globally, including through a range of potential seen and unseen enhancements.
Secretary Kelly affirmed he will implement any and all measures necessary to secure commercial aircraft flying to the United States — including prohibiting large electronic devices from the passenger cabin — if the intelligence and threat level warrant it."
While the passengers and airlines can breathe easy for now, Kelly made clear that an "an expansion [of the ban] is still on the table". The potential extension of the previous ban on electronics in flight cabins from seven Muslim-majority countries had sparked off political discussions across the board.
This marks another tumultuous month for the aviation industry as it struggles to cope with accidental explosions, the United Airlines incident, security scares and possibly more bans.
Source: Politico