The General Authority for Civil Aviation has not received any intimation from the British authorizes on any ban on laptops and tablets on UK-bound flights from the Kingdom similar to the one imposed on flights to the US. An official source told Al-Riyadh Arabic paper, sister publication of Riyadh Daily, that the Authority was not concerned with the flights traveling to the US via third destinations. "The rule only applies to Saudi Arabian Airlines, which is currently the only operator that has direct flights from Riyadh and Jeddah to US airports." The US authorities recently asked the Saudi Interior Ministry to ban the carrying of electronic devices larger than mobile phones in carry-on bags, and only allow them in checked baggage. Aviation industry specialists have said the rule is not justified in terms of security, and that it will have a negative economic impact on airlines flying directly to the US. There are also growing fears of a similar step being taken to ban mobile phones.
