Jackie Danicki

Just reading about the new, ‘improved’ airline security measures in the EU makes me feel I am about to have a stroke, I swear:

From Monday passengers are to be allowed to carry small bottles of toiletries - such as shampoo, toothpaste and face creams - as long as they are contained in a clear re-sealable plastic bag…But security analysts criticised more “silly rules” that were “devoid of common sense,” focussed on the bags rather than the person carrying them, and predicted they would lead to “absolute mayhem” and longer delays at security.

The new rules restrict each of the individual items to 100ml. The bottles and containers must be brought to the airport in a single, transparent, re-sealable plastic bag - which itself may no more than a litre in capacity. This is roughly 8 inches square (20cm by 20cm)…The new guidelines state that “liquids” include: all drinks (including water, soup and syrups); creams, lotions, oils perfumes and mascaras; sprays and pressurised containers such as shaving foam and deodorants; gels including those for hair and showers.

I cannot imagine how high my blood pressure will get when I’ve been standing in a security line for an hour because the staff are arguing with passengers about the measurements of their plastic bags, whether the bags are clear or translucent, and whether their bottle of water clocks in at 100ml or 103ml.

[A]viation expert Philip Baum predicted the new measures would create confusion, delays and “absolute mayhem” at security. Mr Baum, editor of Aviation Security International who also runs security training said: “I’m confused and I travel almost every week. I think it’s too little and too late. It’s going to lead to considerable confusion. It will add to the already long queues at airports where people are now going to take yet more items out of their hand baggage and have extra items screened. We are pandering to the need to come up with some cosmetic security system rather than an effective security system.”

He said the measures were “silly rules” which didn’t work: “We are focussing all of our attention on what people are carrying rather than the people who are actually carrying those bags. I think this is devoid of common sense. We are giving people far more things to do - taking lap tops out of bags, taking their shoes off. Now they will have to take liquids and gels and put them into plastic bags. It’s going to be absolute mayhem and I don’t think it is based on common sense.”

Filed under: Law, Life, Politics, The State Is Not Your Friend, Travel