IATA Calls US & UK Electronics Ban Unacceptable

by Rich Thomaselli
Last updated: 12:10 AM ET, Thu March 30, 2017

Alexandre de Juniac, director general and chief executive of the powerful International Air Transport Association (IATA), called on the United States and United Kingdom to modify their recently imposed bans on large electronic devices.

The two countries, acting on what they called "credible intelligence information" of another terrorist plot again using airlines, banned electronics larger than a cellphone from being carried onboard flights originating from 10 Middle Eastern and African nations flying to the US and UK. It affects eight airlines total, and the devices-including tablets and laptops, among other items-must be stored in checked luggage.

Speaking to the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations, de Juniac called on the governments to work with the aviation industry to find a suitable alternative to the policy, which went into effect on Saturday and is reportedly set to last several months.

"The current measures are not an acceptable long-term solution to whatever threat they are trying to mitigate," de Juniac said. "Even in the short term it is difficult to understand their effectiveness."

Here are de Juniac's full comments:

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