Last week, the European Parliament ordered a review of the rules for carrying liquids in hand luggage for air passengers. Deputies questioned their expediency: the losses of passengers whose property is confiscated and the costs for airports in applying these rules do not particularly affect safety. As reported by RIA Novosti, the European Parliament demanded that the European Commission immediately begin revising the rules and, if no additional convincing evidence is provided that they indeed make sense, abolish them.
At the same time, the resolution adopted at the plenary session states that the European Parliament approves 'security measures that protect aviation from the terrorist threat and which, while not being disproportionate, allow to minimize risks.' But, as deputies believe, checking liquids in hand luggage using X-rays does not allow determining the presence of explosive substances in them.
Restrictions on carrying liquids have been in effect in European Union countries since November 6, 2006. The introduction of new rules immediately caused flight delays at airports, lengthening the passenger screening process. According to the rules, passengers are allowed to take on board liquids in individual containers of no more than 100 ml. Their total volume must not exceed 500 ml, and they must be packed in a transparent plastic bag. This requirement applies to both alcoholic beverages and mineral water, perfumes, lotions, gels. Airport staff must seal the bags with containers using special adhesive tape, which may only be removed on board the aircraft. These bags are presented for separate scanning independent of the rest of the hand luggage. Liquids in larger bottles must be checked in as baggage. Any liquids in hand luggage if their volume exceeds 100 ml and they are not properly packed are subject to confiscation.
Restrictions do not apply to liquid medications prescribed to the passenger and baby food (airport security may require opening the product and tasting it). It is allowed to bring on board alcoholic beverages and perfumes purchased in shops located beyond security checkpoints in Duty Free stores. These items must be sealed in the store's branded bag and accompanied by the appropriate receipt.
The rules apply to all 25 EU countries, as well as Norway, Switzerland and Iceland. Previously, similar restrictions were in effect only at London airports, where in August 2006 an attempt to commit terrorist attacks using liquid bombs on transatlantic airliners was uncovered. By the spring of this year, similar instructions were adopted by Japan, Australia, Canada, South Korea and Taiwan.
However, in July of this year, the European Commission already slightly adjusted the security measures. The fact is that transit passengers had problems with alcohol bought in Duty Free shops outside the EU. A passenger could bring such a bottle into the EU, but when boarding another plane it was taken away. According to the adopted clarification, if a third country from which the passenger arrived has the same or stricter rules for transporting liquids than the EU, then goods purchased there are allowed to be carried in hand luggage.
At the end of August 2007, the ban on carrying liquids and gels on board aircraft came into force in Russia as well. The Ministry of Transport motivated this decision by the need to tighten security measures. Whether Russia will abandon European rules if the restrictions are deemed meaningless is not yet clear: no official explanations on this matter have been received from the Ministry of Transport yet.
Elya Vermisheva.
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