Microsoft tablets help Emirates customers work through laptop ban

EMIRATES has started loaning Microsoft Surface  tablets to customers on non-stop flights bound for the US so they can continue working. First and business class passengers will be able to borrow the complimentary tablets on flights from Dubai to the US, download their work to a USB drive and continue working. The tablets are equipped with Microsoft Office 2016 and a keyboard. The Emirates move comes after rival Qatar offered a similar loan service involving laptops to premium customers flying on its direct flights to the US. Both airlines have been caught up in a US ban requiring passengers on direct flights to the US from some Middle East and North African destinations to check-in laptops, tablets and other electronic devices bigger than a smart phone. The ban, which began March 25, has been widely criticised and the International Air Transport Association has urged authorities to find an alternative. US officials said the move stemmed from “evaluated intelligence”  that terrorists are increasing their focus on aviation.  Britain adopted a similar ban for some airports but excluded the big Gulf hubs in Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Australia ramped up security requirements at the Gulf airports but stopped short of banning large devices in cabin baggage. Emirates has also introduced a laptop and tablet handling service for US-Bound passengers that allows them to use their devices in lounges and hand them in at the boarding gate. Available free to all classes, passengers must declare the devices and hand them over to security staff who then pack and tag the device for storage in the aircraft hold. The devices are returned to customers when they reach their US destination. The airline said almost 8,000 passengers have used the service on its 112 weekly non-stop flights to the US. Ironically, the US directive does not apply to Emirates flights travelling to the US via Milan and Athens. Nor does it apply to any flights to the affected destinations from the US. Separately, Emirates announced Thursday it would start a second daily flight to Bali using two-class  Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The new flight starts July 2 and will offer connections to destinations across Europe.