EasyJet is the first UK airline to confirm it has introduced a government ban on large electronic items in hand-luggage.
The airline said passengers would be prevented from taking laptops, tablets, DVD players and other large electronic devices into the cabin on flights from Turkey and Egypt from Wednesday.
The government has given airlines until March 25 at the latest to implement the ban on all flights to the UK from six countries, mainly in the Middle East and North Africa.
"The new requirements mean that passengers on affected flights will not be permitted to take large personal electronics, such as kindles, tablets and laptops into the cabin of aircraft and additional security checks will be undertaken at the gate," said easyJet.
"We advise passengers to go to Bag Drop to check in any electronic items into their hand luggage."
EasyJet is also advising passengers to leave additional time to get to the airport. "We recommend that passengers do not bring large personal electronic devices if possible.
"The safety and security of its passengers and crew is the airline’s highest priority."
EasyJet is contacting affected passengers ahead of their flights to notify them of the changes.
The airline operated one flight from Egypt yesterday and one is due to fly on Saturday. Flights from Turkey do not operate until next week.
Thomson and First Choice said they were making changes ‘as quickly as possible’ to the carriage of electronic devices on flights back from Turkey, Egypt and Jordan
The TUI companies said only ‘normal size’ phones, no longer than 16cms, 9.3cms wide and 1.5cms deep can be carried in hand luggage. All other electronics must be checked in. To speed up the security process, they are asking customers to travel with minimum hand luggage.
Four other UK airlines and eight foreign carriers will also have to block passengers from carrying electronics onboard according to the ban, which covers flights from Tunisia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, as well as Egypt and Turkey.
The ban follows information passed to UK and US intelligence agencies, which suggests there is a ‘heightened risk of terrorism against aviation’. according to the Foreign Office.
The US has imposed a ban on electronics in carry-on bags on flights to America from eight destinations in the Middle East and North Africa, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
