The leading International Air Transport Association's top official on Tuesday denounced the U.S. and U.K. bans on some electronic devices on flights from several countries with Muslim populations, criticizing the policies as an ideological shift towards "more restricted borders and protectionism." Alexandre de Juniac, IATA director general and chief executive, raised questions regarding the efficacy of the bans on devices larger than a cellphone, during a speech to the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations.

The restrictions, announced last week, apply to direct flights to the U.K. and the U.S. from certain airports in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. "The current measures are not an acceptable long-term solution to whatever threat they [the U.K. and the U.S.] are trying to mitigate," de Juniac said. "Even in the short term, it is difficult to understand their effectiveness." De Juniac said the bans created severe commercial losses. "We call on governments to work with the industry to find a way to keep flying secure without separating passengers from their personal electronics," he said. In a phone interview with Reuters following his speech, de Juniac admonished the U.S. and U.K. governments for what he characterized as "no coordination at all" in enforcing the policy. IATA also expressed frustration at the process used by governments to put in place the security measures which was woefully lacking. "The industry came together quickly to implement the new requirements. That was a challenge because there was no prior consultation and little coordination by the governments," said de Juniac.