"EU Sets Date For New Security Rules; Airport Disruption Likely"

Thursday, October 12, 2006

EU Sets Date For New Security Rules; Airport Disruption Likely  
By Adrian Schofield
Aviation Daily  

 
The European Commission will introduce new security restrictions for
carry-on baggage across Europe Nov. 6, and although aviation officials are
working hard to ease the transition, the rules are expected to cause
passenger confusion and airport disruptions. 

The European Commission plans to announce the new rule next week, giving
aviation authorities, airports and airlines three weeks' notice of the
changeover date, EC Deputy Head of Aviation Security Robert Missen said
yesterday at an Airports Council International conference in Madrid.
Although the U.K. already imposed similar restrictions following a
high-profile liquid explosives scare in August, the rest of Europe will
experience these limits for the first time. 

Lufthansa VP-Corporate Security Peter Andres predicts European airports
"will be a mess over the first weeks" of the new restrictions. Of particular
concern are different rules for duty-free liquids depending on where
passengers are flying from, said Anders. 

Missen admits there could be some short-term confusion after Nov. 6. He said
the EC actually delayed the introduction of the new security rules by three
or four weeks to allow more time for states and industry to digest the
proposal. The EC is also working with airport and airline industry groups on
drafting a standard message to passengers, so they don't get different
versions in different countries, Missen said. 

Discussions will be held with security officials in non-EU nations to
establish common processes for approving duty-free liquids. Commission
officials are meeting with the U.S. TSA next week to discuss this problem.
Missen said there is no reason why such an agreement cannot be forged before
the Nov. 6 introduction date. 

The rules limit all carry-on liquids to containers of 100 milliliters or
less, and these containers must fit in a clear plastic bag of no more than
one liter. These limits are actually only slightly higher than new U.S.
restrictions on liquids; in fact, TSA regards the two standards as
essentially the same, said Missen. 

Regarding duty-free liquids, any duty-free shop in a European airport that
is outside screening checkpoints must provide a tamper-proof sealed bag for
bottles. Duty-free stores on the other side of the screening checkpoints
must provide these bags only for passengers who will transfer at another
airport. 

This means that passengers flying from outside Europe can bring duty-free
bottles if they are flying direct to their destination. But if they have to
pass through a screening point in Europe while transferring, their bottles
would be confis- cated because they would not be in the approved
tamper-proof bags. 

The new security rules will also mandate that all laptops and large
electronic items be removed from bags for screening. This is done at some
airports, but the rules will standardize the practice throughout Europe,
said Missen. Likewise, a standard maximum size for carry-on bags will be
introduced for the first time, although this requirement will be delayed six
months beyond Nov. 6. Missen said airline and airport groups favor
introducing the maximum size at the same time as the other requirements, but
the European member states called for the delay. 

Missen said the rules could be seen as a "piecemeal" response, but taken
together, they "address the [liquid explosive] threat in the most
appropriate way." The rules will be reviewed regularly in case revisions are
required.

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