The US is considering extending its ban on laptops as carry-on to all international flights in and out of the country. Picture: Anwar Amro/AFP/Getty Images

US Homeland Security Chief John Kelly told Fox News Sunday he was thinking of expanding the current ban on flights out of ten airports, to all international flights in and out of the States.

“There’s a real threat — numerous threats against aviation,” said Mr Kelly.

“That’s really the thing that they are obsessed with, the terrorists, the idea of knocking down an aeroplane in flight, particularly if it’s a US carrier, particularly if it’s full of mostly US folks.”

Qantas Group spokesman Stephen Moynihan said if a ban was imposed, Qantas and Jetstar would comply.

“If a decision was ultimately made to implement this ban more broadly, the Qantas Group would naturally comply,” Mr Moynihan said.

“But there’s been no clear indication of that to date.”

Qantas operates about 50 return flights a week to and from the US and Jetstar flies to Honolulu ten times a week from Sydney and Melbourne.

Virgin Australia also operates flights into the US and was yesterday considering the latest comments, and awaiting further advice.

A Qatar Airways flight from Doha comes into land at Los Angeles International Airport. Picture: AFP/Frederic J. BrownSource:AFP

Federal Transport Minister Darren Chester said ensuring the safety and security of Australia’s travelling public was a priority for the government.

“The government continuously monitors shifts in the threat environment domestically and overseas to ensure we have the best security arrangements in place to meet the challenges we face,” said Mr Chester.

Since late March, airlines operating between the US and the Middle East and North Africa have been forced to impose the ban on passengers carrying anything larger than a smartphone on to flights.

Around 50 flights a day are affected, and the US has previously flagged extending the ban to planes from the European Union.

Etihad, Emirates and Qatar have gone to the trouble of providing airline-issued laptops and ipads to guests affected by the ban, thought to have arisen from an in-flight bombing using a laptop in Somalia last year.

Around 50 flights a day are affected, and the US has previously flagged extended the ban to planes from the European Union.

In that incident, the bomber only succeeded in killing himself after he was sucked out of the Daallo Airlines’ plane through a hole caused by the explosion.

Terrorist group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the bombing.

The UK also imposed restrictions on laptops and ipads as carry-on, on certain flights but the Australian Government took the decision not to follow suit.