美國解除對卡塔爾航空公司乘客隨機攜帶手提電腦的禁令

Qatar Airways said Thursday its passengers can once again carry on laptop computers and other personal electronics for direct flights to the United States.

The airline said in a statement that it and its hub Hamad International Airport had met new U.S. security requirements.

In March, the U.S. banned laptops and large electronics from the cabins of direct flights from 10 airports in the Middle East and North Africa over concerns that terrorists could hide bombs inside the devices.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security further said last week that the airlines needed to implement sophisticated imaging technology for X-Ray and ultrasound screening of carry-on devices, or continue to ban passengers from bringing the electronics on the plane.

Qatar Airways is the fourth airline to announce this week the restrictions were being lifted for its passengers.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad was the first to say so on Sunday, while Dubai-based Emirates and Istanbul-based Turkish Airlines said Tuesday they had met the new requirements.

An Emirates spokesperson said in a statement new imaging technology was put in place at Dubai International, the world's busiest airport for international travel.

Emirates airlines had reported a decline in the past month in demand for flights to the United States, and consequently cut its schedule from Dubai to five U.S. cities.

The ban still applies to non-stop U.S.-bound flights from airports in Jordan, Kuwait, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Morocco.卡塔爾航空公司星期四說，直飛美國的航班旅客又可以攜帶手提電腦等個人電子產品上飛機了。

卡塔爾航空公司在聲明中說，該航空公司及其中樞機場-哈馬德國際機場都已經滿足了美國新的安全要求。

美國政府三月份宣佈，禁止從中東和北非10個機場直飛美國的航班乘客攜帶手提電腦和大件電子產品，擔心恐怖分子會把炸彈藏匿在裏面。

美國國土安全部上星期又指出，這些航空公司需要採用先進的影像技術，通過X光和超聲波對隨身攜帶的電子產品進行排查，否則就要繼續禁止乘客將電子產品帶進機艙。

卡塔爾航空公司是本週第四家宣佈解除禁令的航空公司。

總部設在阿布扎比的阿提哈德航空公司星期天率先宣佈解禁，總部設在迪拜的阿聯酋航空公司和總部設在伊斯坦布爾的土耳其航空公司星期二也宣佈，已經滿足了美國的要求。

阿聯酋航空公司發言人在聲明中說，世界上國際客流量最多的迪拜國際機場已經啓用了新的影像技術

阿聯酋航空公司說，上個月飛往美國的客流量下降，並因此決定減少從迪拜飛往美國五大城市的航班數量。

美國的禁令還針對從約旦、科威特、埃及、沙特阿拉伯和摩洛哥直飛美國的航班。