UK imposes ‘strict security measures’ on flights from Middle East

Passengers travelling directly to the United Kingdom from the Kuwait International Airport will be subjected to “further security checks”, British Ambassador to Kuwait, Matthew Lodge, announced.

In an official press statement, Lodge said that the security procedures “may take longer”, urging travellers to arrive at the airport “early” in order to avoid any delay or ban from travel.

He added that the security and safety conditions at the Kuwait International Airport are “improving”, noting that the UK and Kuwait have been working closely to resolve the issue.

Read more: UK joins US in banning electronic devices on flights from Middle East

The British Ambassador denied any political or economic agendas related to the measures imposed by the UK on the flights from airports of six countries, including Kuwait.

On 21 March, Britain imposed strict new guidelines on all passengers flying out of eight Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East and North Africa region from bringing laptops and other electronics items such as cameras on-board direct flights to the UK. The ban applied to flights heading to the UK from 10 international airports – Cairo in Egypt; Amman in Jordan; Kuwait City in Kuwait; Casablanca in Morocco; Doha in Qatar; Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia; Istanbul in Turkey; and Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.