Britain tells Turkey it will lift ban on in-flight electronics: Sources

Ankara: Britain has told Turkish authorities it will lift the ban on electronics in aircraft cabins in flights from Turkey, Turkish diplomatic sources told Reuters on Thursday.

The sources said that Alan Duncan, Britain`s minister for Europe and Foreign Minister Boris Johnson both called Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to tell him the ban was being lifted.

However, there was no immediate confirmation from British officials.

"The safety and security of the travelling public is our top priority. We keep our aviation security measures under constant review, but we do not comment on speculation or leaks," a spokesman for Britain`s Department for Transport said.

Major airlines flying from Turkey to Britain include Turkish Airlines and British Airways, which is owned by International Consolidated Airlines Group.

On July 5, Turkish Airlines said the United States had lifted its in-cabin ban on electronic devices on US-bound flights from Istanbul.

In March the United States imposed the ban on direct flights originating at 10 airports in eight countries -- Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey -- to address fears that bombs could be concealed in electronic devices taken aboard aircraft.

Britain soon followed suit with a similar ban.