Emirates bans pagers on board its aircraft after wave of explosions in Lebanon

The Emirates airline, the largest in the Middle East, has banned its passengers from carrying pagers and walkie-talkies since Friday October 4, after the wave of explosions in Lebanon in mid-September of these small boxes in an attack against Hezbollah attributed to Israel. According to a company press release, “all passengers traveling on flights to, from or via Dubai [où est basée l’entreprise] are prohibited from carrying pagers and walkie-talkies in their luggage or in the cabin..

On September 17 and 18, simultaneous explosions of beepers and then walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah, a pro-Iranian Lebanese Islamist movement, caused dozens of deaths and thousands of injuries in Lebanon. These devices were popular with Hezbollah because they allow them to receive messages and sound alerts using their own radio frequency, outside of mobile telephone networks, without the risk of being listened to. In addition, Emirates extended the suspension of its flights to Iran and Iraq until Tuesday, and to Lebanon until October 15, while the Israeli army bombs the country.