Emirates mulls loaner laptops following US electronics ban

Dubai-based Emirates airlines is toying with the idea of offering its passengers loaner laptops as it seeks to soften the blow from a US ban on electronics in airplane cabins, said a report.

The airline may expolore "creative" ways to work around the ban if it remains in place over the long term, President Tim Clark said in an interview with Bloomberg TV.

One of the ideas is to provide government-approved laptops that “can be used in-flight".

These efforts are being made following a recent electronics ban by the US which prohibits travelers on flights from 10 Middle Eastern airports, including Dubai, from bringing large electronics into the aircraft cabin.

While there have been some difficulties on the US side, the first 48 hours of the ban’s implementation, including allowing passengers to use laptops up until boarding, have proceeded without customer complaints, according to the Emirates chief.