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Qatar Airways to loan laptops to passengers
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Calling it a "unique solution”, Qatar Airways will be offering loaner laptops free to business class passengers at the gate and provide one-hour complimentary Wi-Fi. (Shutterstock/File)
I
n wake of news that the United States and the United Kingdom will no longer allow passengers on certain flights from Middle Eastern and North African countries to bring electronics bigger than phones in their carry-on baggage, Doha-based Qatar Airways has come up with a workaround.
Calling it a "unique solution”, the airline will be offering loaner laptops free to business class passengers at the gate and provide one-hour complimentary Wi-Fi, with a US$5 charge to remain connected for the duration of the flight.
”We truly appreciate the importance of being able to work on board our aircraft," Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker told CNN.
(Read also: Hacks to survive a 20-hour flight without a laptop or tablet)
However, the move isn't exactly unique. Qatar Airlines isn’t the first to offer electronics to its passengers. A similarly affected airline, Etihad Airways, is also set to lend iPads to its “top-paying” passengers.
In addition to Qatar and Etihad, the ban applies to certain flights operated by Emirates, Turkish Airlines, EgyptAir, Kuwait Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian Airlines and Saudi Airlines. (sul/kes)
