Turkish Airlines starts distributing laptops to US-bound business class passengers after ban

ISTANBUL

Turkish Airlines has begun distributing laptops to its business class passengers flying to the U.S. following a ban preventing passengers from keeping large electronic devices in the cabin in flights from a number of Middle Eastern countries and Turkey to the United States and the United Kingdom.

The company stated that business class passengers departing from Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport to the United States will now be able to demand laptops during their flights after submitting their electronic devices larger than mobile phones to airline staff, starting early on May 6.

The in-flight laptops also have a touch-screen and a built-in security system to protect user privacy. All sessions on laptops will automatically be deleted when they are shut down.

“After using the computer, passengers can copy their data to an external storage unit (USB drive) if they wish, and all personal works of the passengers will be automatically and completely deleted from the computer when the computer is turned off,” Turkish Airlines stated.

The flagship carrier will also begin distributing laptops to passengers bound for the U.K. on May 12.

The United States and the United Kingdom recently banned electronic items larger than a mobile phone in aircraft cabins for flights coming from selected airports, including Istanbul Atatürk Airport. 

Turkish Airlines had also begun offering free Wi-Fi services on its U.S. flights in March.