The restrictions still are in place for UK flights at IST but not flights to the US.

I expect that it is one of those things that will never be lifted for UK flights as no one will dare make a decision to do it - a bit like the liquids ban that was meant to be lifted by 2012 at the latest.

What I don't understand with either risk is why planes are not being blown out of the sky on routes where these bans are not in place.