The US is reportedly considering expanding its airline laptop and tablet ban to include the UK and Europe.

Flights to the States from several countries in the Middle East and Africa are already affected, with passengers not allowed to carry electronic devices larger than a smartphone in their hand baggage. Any larger devices are required to be stored in checked-in luggage and therefore not used during the flight at all.

Now CBS News claims the Department of Homeland Security in the US is looking at extending the ban to flights from Europe, possibly including the UK.

Government officials, it says, have met with US Airlines and a decision is expected "in the next few weeks".

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If it is decided that a similar security threat could originate in Europe, you will not be able to take a laptop, tablet, games console (such as the Nintendo Switch), camera or any other electronic device other than a phone with you on a long haul flight to the States. You will have to check them in your cases.

How this will be managed is still unclear at present. Will you be checked at security for devices in correlation to your ticket - as many passengers will pass through the same security area who are not travelling to the US? Or will all passengers be double-checked the gate? Either way it could cause lengthy delays.

The UK also has an electronics travel ban in place. Passengers travelling to the UK from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia are already similarly affected.