Dubai-based Emirates airline has implemented a ban on pagers and walkie-talkies on its flights, following last month’s attacks involving these devices, which were linked to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
“All passengers traveling on flights to, from, or through Dubai are prohibited from carrying pagers and walkie-talkies in both checked and carry-on luggage,” the airline stated in a notice on its website on Friday. The statement further added that any such items found in passengers’ luggage will be confiscated by Dubai Police.
This decision follows recent incidents in Lebanon where pagers exploded simultaneously across the country, followed by similar detonations involving walkie-talkies. Lebanese authorities have blamed Israel for the attacks. At least 37 people, including children, were killed in these device-related explosions, while nearly 3,000 others were injured, according to Lebanese officials.
A Lebanese security source told CNN that the explosive material had been cleverly concealed within the lithium batteries of the pagers, making it nearly impossible to detect.
As tensions in the Middle East continue to rise, flights have been increasingly disrupted. In its latest update on Friday, Emirates, the region’s largest airline, announced that flights to and from Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, will remain canceled until at least October 15. Passengers transiting through Dubai to reach Beirut will also be denied travel at their point of origin until further notice.
Emirates also mentioned that it will resume flights to Amman, Jordan’s capital, on Sunday, while services to Iraq and Iran will stay suspended through Monday. Several other airlines have also canceled flights to Beirut and other regional airports.