U.S. government reportedly asks airlines to ban some electronics from the cabin

An airplane prepares to land.
(Image credit: David McNew/Getty Images)

Due to an unspecified terrorism threat, passengers on some flights bound for the United States will not be allowed to carry electronic devices larger than a cellphone inside the airplane's cabin, U.S. officials told Reuters Monday.

The rule has been under consideration since the government became aware of the threat several weeks ago, the official said, and could be announced by the Department of Homeland Security Monday night. The ban covers a dozen foreign airlines flying from a dozen countries, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan. While passengers won't be able to carry the larger devices into the cabin, they will be able to have such items in their checked bags.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.