US government officials are due to meet European counterparts this week to discuss ways of improving security and potentially avoiding the extension of the current laptop ban.
Reuters reports that the US Department of Homeland Security will meet European officials in Malta to discuss “enhancements including explosive trace detection screening, increased vetting of airports’ staff and additional detection dogs”.
The US laptop ban came into effect in March, with large electronic devices banned from the cabin on flights from 10 airports, mainly in the Middle East.
Britain then imposed similar restrictions, and Department of Homeland Security secretary John Kelly said last week that the US was considering expanding its ban to flights from 71 airports located in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
DHS spokesman David Lapan told a press conference on Tuesday that specific security enhancements would not be disclosed, but said they were “in the way of information sharing, passenger information, detection types of steps.”
Lapan also said that talks had taken place with airlines and airport officials, and said it “remained to be seen” if the discussions would result in the reversal of the current ban.
More on the ‘laptop ban’:
Laptop ban on UK to US flights could be implemented within weeks