Saudi Arabian Airlines becomes final carrier removed from U.S. laptop ban

Saudi Arabian Airlines, which is also known as Saudia, became the final of nine carriers to be removed from the March laptop ban for carry-on bags aboard flights heading to the U.S.

The Transportation Security Administration tweeted the announcement on Monday.

The announcement came after Royal Air Maroc was removed from the list Thursday, Kuwait Airways on Wednesday and EgyptAir on July 9. The other airlines got off the list the previous week led by Etihad, Emirates, Turkish, Qatar and Royal Jordanian.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security adopted the ban because of intelligence about terrorists getting better at hiding explosives in electronics. But the department said airlines could be removed from the prohibition against electronics larger than cellphones if they met tougher security measures announced June 28.

The standards are aimed at both detecting explosives hidden in electronics and thwarting airport workers from smuggling bombs aboard planes. The measures apply to 180 airlines flying to the U.S. from 280 airports in 105 countries.

The department didn't detail the measures, but said they would include more 3D scanners, swabbing for traces of explosives and bomb-sniffing dogs at checkpoints. 

A glimpse of the precautions in Doha, Qatar, showed staffers swabbing laptops and electrical cords at the gate before placing  electronics in sealed duty-free bags until travelers were aboard the plane.

If airlines don’t meet the standards, they could ultimately face a laptop ban for carry-on and checked bags on flights to the U.S.

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