LONDON — Britain has followed the U.S. in announcing a ban on large electronic devices in carry-on bags on direct flights to the UK from six countries in the Middle East and North Africa. <br /> <br />The ban is reportedly in response to an unspecified terror threat that may include laptop bombs. <br /> <br />The U.K. ban applies to all electronic devices larger than a normal smartphone, specified as 16 cm x 9.3 cm x 1.5 cm (6.2 inches long x 3.6 inches wide x 0.5 inches thick), the Guardian reported. <br /> <br />Passengers with larger smartphones, and devices such as tablets and laptops must put those items in their checked baggage. <br /> <br />Eight overseas airlines are affected by the U.K. ban: Turkish Airlines (Turkey), Pegasus Airlines (Turkey), Atlas-Global Airlines (Turkey), Middle East Airlines (Lebanon), Egyptair (Egypt), Royal Jordanian (Jordan), Tunis Air (Tunisia) and Saudia (Saudia Arabia). <br /> <br />The ban also affects British carriers British Airways, EasyJet, Jet2, Monarch, Thomas Cook and Thomson. <br /> <br />Passengers who booked cheaper tickets with carry-on baggage only would likely be hit in the pocket, Independent travel editor Simon Calder told BBC News. <br /> <br />Around 1,000 passengers bound for the U.K. transit through Istanbul on Turkish Airlines every day. <br /> <br />Those passengers will also have to check-in larger electronics at their original point of departure, which means some long flights with no iPad, Kindle or laptop for company.
