US officials inspect security measures-  Royal Jordanian also exempted

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KUWAIT: Kuwait Airways yesterday announced that its passengers will be able to carry personal electronic items on board all US-bound flights departing from Kuwait International Airport. The US Transportation Security Administration lifted the ban on electronic devices onboard Kuwait Airways flights after US officials inspected the security measures on Kuwait Airways flights. Following this announcement, passengers onboard Kuwait Airways flights from Kuwait International Airport to JFK Airport in New York will be able to enjoy uninterrupted use of all of their personal electronic devices.

Commenting on the lifting of the ban, Sami Fahd Al-Rushaid, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kuwait Airways, said: "Safety, security and compliance with international safety regulations are always our top priorities at Kuwait Airways and we are delighted to announce to our passengers that the electronics ban has been lifted on all Kuwait Airways flights departing Kuwait International Airport to the United States."

He added: "The security measures in place at Kuwait International Airport which are applied on Kuwait Airways flights are fully compliant with international standards. This allows us to continue to provide services to our passengers flying to the United States or any of our 38-destination international network with our revamped fleet that includes the arrival of the remaining two from our order of 10 ultra-long-haul aircraft Boeing 777-300ER, which will be in commercial service by Q3 2017, in addition to 25 new Airbus aircraft including 15 A320neo and 10 from the A350 family of aircraft which are set to be delivered from 2019."

Meanwhile, Royal Jordanian Airlines said yesterday it has also won an exemption from the US ban on flights from its hub in Amman. "Enhanced security measures are now implemented to meet the requirements of the US Department of Homeland Security's new security guidelines for all US bound flights," Royal Jordanian chief executive Stefan Pichler said in a statement. "We are glad that our guests can now fly onboard RJ and use their electronic devices," from Amman's Queen Alia International Airport, he added. Saudi Arabia's flagship airline, Saudia, said it expects the United States to lift the ban on its flights on or before July 19. The United States has said it will abolish the ban for airlines that implement new safety measures. - Agencies