Turkey sends team to UK over flight ban

ANKARA: Turkey sent a team of experts to Britain Tuesday to try to pursuade London to lift a ban on passengers carrying large electronic devices on flights from Istanbul, the Turkish transport minister said, reports AFP.
Britain issued a ban last week on laptops and tablet computers in the passenger compartment of flights from five countries from the Middle East and northern Africa as well as Turkey.
Ahmet Arslan told CNN Turk he "felt" Britain would shortly lift the ban "because our meetings suggest this" but said talks with the US would likely be "longer-running."
"What I expect from the UK especially is for the ban to be lifted as soon as possible," Arslan said.The British move came after Washington banned electronic devices larger than mobile phones on direct flights to the US from 10 airports in seven Middle Eastern countries and Turkey, allowing them only in hold luggage.
The UK ban affects 14 airlines including British Airways, EasyJet and flag carrier Turkish Airlines, whose profits have already been hit by a slew of terror attacks in 2016.
In a bid to make passengers "more comfortable" after the bans, the airline said passengers could use their laptops until they board.

 

Turkey sends team to UK over flight ban

ANKARA: Turkey sent a team of experts to Britain Tuesday to try to pursuade London to lift a ban on passengers carrying large electronic devices on flights from Istanbul, the Turkish transport minister said, reports AFP. Britain issued a ban last week on laptops and tablet computers in the passenger compartment of flights from five countries from the Middle East and northern Africa as well as Turkey. Ahmet Arslan told CNN Turk he felt Britain would shortly lift the ban because our meetings suggest this but said talks with the US would likely be longer-running. What I expect from the UK especially is for the ban to be lifted as soon as possible, Arslan said.The British move came after Washington banned electronic devices larger than mobile phones on direct flights to the US from 10 airports in seven Middle Eastern countries and Turkey, allowing them only in hold luggage. The UK ban affects 14 airlines including British Airways, EasyJet and flag carrier Turkish Airlines, whose profits have already been hit by a slew of terror attacks in 2016. In a bid to make passengers more comfortable after the bans, the airline said passengers could use their laptops until they board.