Abu Dhabi airport now exempt from US laptop ban

The capital of the UAE became the first city to be exempt from a US ban on laptop computers being in the cabins of airplanes coming from the Mideast, Etihad said Sunday. Etihad said it welcomed the decision by the US Department of Homeland Security, which comes "subject to enhanced security measures" at Abu Dhabi International. That airport already has a US Customs and Border Protection facility that allows passengers to clear screening they'd otherwise have to go through when landing in America. A Homeland Security spokesman said US officials already had seen that "the measures have been implemented correctly and to the full extent required" in Abu Dhabi. He said American monitors would make further visits to ensure the checks were being done properly. <br/>