Earlier this month it was reported that the US government was beginning to lift the ban on laptops being brought onto flights to the US from Middle Eastern countries. The first was flights originating out of Abu Dhabi, and now it looks like the ban is being lifted for more Middle Eastern airlines.
In a report from Reuters, the TSA has confirmed that they are lifting a ban on laptops for passengers flying to the US on Saudi Arabian Airlines. This does not mean that the ban is completely over, but rather just like the earlier report, it seems that the airlines have met a certain security standard in which the TSA feels that it would be safe to allow laptops on board planes again. Check the reasons behind the ban.
For those hearing about this for the first time, earlier this year the US imposed a ban on laptops and personal electronic devices larger than a smartphone from being brought onto planes headed to the US. This was due to security concerns that there could be a plot to smuggle a bomb onto planes where the explosives would be disguised as laptop/tablet batteries, a method which we have heard about in the past.
Like we said, the unbanning does not necessarily signify that the threat has passed, but rather with more stringent security measures in place, perhaps the US government is confident that it will be enough to stop any potential threats.