Abu Dhabi-based airline Etihad Airways has announced that it welcomes the US Department of Homeland Security’s decision to lift the ban on electronic devices on flights between Abu Dhabi and the United States as of 2nd July, 2017, after putting in place security measures at the US preclearance facility in Abu Dhabi airport earlier on Sunday.
In an official statement Etihad Airways said, “Effective immediately, the removal of the restrictions allows passengers flying to the US to carry all laptops, tablets, and other electronic devices onto the aircraft, subject to enhanced security measures.
We would like to thank our guests for their understanding and loyalty while the ban was in place.”
All Etihad guests travelling to the United States clear US Immigration and Customs at the US preclearance facility in Terminal 3 at the Abu Dhabi International Airport, the only one of its kind in the Middle East. When guests land in the US, they arrive as domestic passengers with no requirement to queue up for immigration and customs check again.
Affecting 180 airlines and 280 airports, it is anticipated that Etihad Airways is one of the first airlines to satisfy the short-term measures required by the Transportation Security Administration due to the superior security advantages provided by the preclearance facility.
Etihad Airways currently operates 45 flights a week between Abu Dhabi and six cities across the United States, including twice daily to New York, daily to Washington, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles, and three times per week to San Francisco.
The US is one of Etihad Airways’ largest markets, with 203,515 passengers flying to the country from Abu Dhabi between 1st January and 30th April, 2017 an increase of 13,157 over the same period last year.
