The Middle East will need more planes because the rate of passenger traffic will grow 5.9 per cent until 2036, beating the world average of 4.4 per cent. Adam Schreck / AP
The Middle East will need more planes because the rate of passenger traffic will grow 5.9 per cent until 2036, beating the world average of 4.4 per cent. Adam Schreck / AP
The Middle East will need more planes because the rate of passenger traffic will grow 5.9 per cent until 2036, beating the world average of 4.4 per cent. Adam Schreck / AP
The Middle East will need more planes because the rate of passenger traffic will grow 5.9 per cent until 2036, beating the world average of 4.4 per cent. Adam Schreck / AP

UAE

Emirates in bid to lift US laptop ban

The airline said it was working to enhance security measures to reverse the ban

The National staff and AP and Reuters

July 04, 2017

  • English
  • Arabic

Emirates is working to implement increased security measures in response to US demands to reverse a ban on laptops and other electronics on-board its US-bound flights.

The airline said in a statement on Tuesday that it is "working hard in co-ordination with various aviation stakeholders and the local authorities" to put the heightened security measures and protocols in place.

Emirates' Dubai hub has grown into the world's busiest airport for international traffic, in large part thanks to Emirates' expansion. It was one of 10 airports affected by the ban on cabin electronics put in place by the Trump administration in March.

Earlier this week Abu Dhabi International Airport became the first to be exempted from the cabin electronics ban after the airport enhanced security measures.

The hub was the first airport in the world to have been given the green light by the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration since broader security requirements were unveiled last Wednesday by the US.

It requires enhanced screening of passengers and devices at 280 airports globally, impacting 180 airlines.

Also on Tuesday the Saudi state news agency SPA reported that Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) expects the in-cabin ban on laptops and other large electronics on direct flights to the United States to be lifted by July 19.

The airline is working with the country's civil aviation authority, GACA, to implement the new security measures for US-bound flights..

Saudia flies to the United States from airports in Jeddah and Riyadh.

Turkish Airlines said on Monday it expected the ban to be lifted on flights from Turkey on July 5.

In March, the United States banned laptops in cabins on flights to the United States originating at 10 airports in eight countries — Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey — to address fears that bombs could be concealed in electronic devices taken on board.

What is the FNC?

The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning. 
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval. 
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
 

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