The US is telling you that you can’t bring your laptop on board, but you desperately need to complete and send a report to your boss before you touch down.
It’s a struggle some business travellers may face in the US-implemented tech-ban aviation world we live in today, but Middle Eastern Airlines are doing their best to find a way around it.
Quick recap, last week Trump’s administration went ahead and told airlines operating out of 10 Middle Eastern and African cities (Cairo, Istanbul, Kuwait City, Doha, Casablanca, Amman, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi) that their guests will not be permitted to take electronics larger than their mobile phones on America-bound services.
This obviously sparked a reaction from travellers, who were still fuming over the President’s attempts to block people from select Muslim-majority countries from entering ‘the land of the free’.
While Royal Jordanian found a humorous marketing spin on the electronics ban, airlines such as Emirates and Etihad found ways around it with new check-in procedures and free iPads.
Now, Qatar Airways has found a solution for business travellers who expect to be able to work in the sky – ‘laptop loans’.
“No laptop? You’re welcome to use one of ours,” is the sarcastic slogan adopted by the Doha-based airline to promote the new lending service.
The complimentary laptops will be available to Business Class passengers travelling on all US-bound flights from next week and can be collected after boarding.
Customers will be able to download their work onto a USB before stepping on board to pick up where they left-off.
Qatar Airways is offering a special service at the gate for all passengers, whereby any electronic items prohibited by the new ban will be collected and securely packaged. These will be tagged, loaded as check-in baggage and returned safely to the customer on arrival to the US.
The airline’s Chief Executive His Excellency Mr Akbar Al Baker said he appreciates the importance of needing to work mid-flight, which is why he’s “insisted on offering only the best possible solution”.
“By providing this laptop loan service we can ensure that our passengers on flights to the US can continue to work whilst on-board.”
Mr Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Chief Executive
“This unique ability to offer ‘business as usual’, above and beyond the competition, is yet another example of Qatar Airways justification for being the ‘World’s Best Business Class’.”
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways confirmed this week that it would resume daily services between Adelaide and Doha from 2 December 2017.
According to the carrier, the route has exceeded expectations both in consumer and freight demand.
Since commencing its direct service between Adelaide and Doha in May 2016, air freight exports from South Australia more than tripled from $115,000 to $355,000 as the demand for the state’s wine, fresh food and electrical appliances increased in Qatar.