First came the >U.S. electronics ban, then the> UK followed suit.
The problem?
Both bans only affect specific countries and airlines, mostly in the Middle East and North Africa, which obviously complicates things for travelers, especially frequent flyers.
In the wake of all the news, Arabs took to Twitter to poke fun at what they viewed as decisions that didn't make much sense.
Some asked important questions
Very important questions
Others were outraged
Some pointed this out
While others made a Plan B
Some tried to find reason...
But really couldn't
And some were right on point with "flying carpets"
And "shahhatas" of course
So what's the electronics ban all about?
Mobile phones can still be taken on all flights, but larger electronic devices are now banned as carry-on items. Laptops, tablets and other electronics must be placed in checked luggage to be kept below the plane. Electronic medical devices are exempt from the ban.
The British and the U.S. bans are very different from each other. They target different airports and different airlines, with some overlapping. Although both countries say the ban is meant to address security concerns and that they coordinated before implementing the ban, the inconsistencies have raised questions and criticism from aviation and security experts.
The British ban affects 14 airlines, including British and European carriers, traveling from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. The U.S. ban affects nine airlines, all from the Middle East and North Africa, and 10 airports in Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE.