By Martin Banks - 28th April 2011
The change was meant to make life easier for passengers
AEA
The body representing Europe's aviation industry has voiced concern at the relaxation of the ban on liquid in airline hand luggage.
The Association of European Airlines (AEA) says travellers shopping at airports worldwide and flying through Europe face the prospect of confusion amid changes to EU restrictions on liquids in hand-luggage due to take effect on Friday.
The EU will replace current limits on liquids in cabin baggage with a new requirement that airports begin using new equipment to scan sealed packages purchased at duty-free shops outside the EU.
The change affects only the small portion of passengers who bought liquids at these shops outside the EU who are changing planes at European airports.
The shift is planned as a first step, to be followed in 2013 by a complete lifting of the carry-on liquids restrictions at EU airports.
But the AEA says it is "disappointed" at the way the matter has been handled.
Its secretary general Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus said, "The change was meant to make life easier for passengers. But some European countries are still not ready and others have decided to enforce tighter measures.
"This complexity will only confuse passengers as they prepare for their summer breaks.
"Member states committed to delivering this change so passengers would benefit, and it is already a year overdue."
"AEA's members welcomed this change as a sound step towards the full lifting of liquids restrictions by 2013, but we have been left with a fragmented patchwork of national policies which does nothing to help airline passengers."
Under the new rules, passengers will be able to buy bottles of duty-free in non-European countries or on board non-European airlines and carry these liquids as hand luggage when connecting through European airports.
The items, bought after security control, must be sealed in a special secure bag with the receipt inside.
Although the changes are now just hours away from going live, the USA has not yet clarified whether it will support the European relaxation or whether it will impose further requirements on passengers arriving from Europe.
The AEA says this is "totally unacceptable."
"We were assured by the commission that member states and the USA would be ready, so we supported this initiative," said Schulte-Strathaus.
"Our member airlines are extremely disappointed with the way this has been handled. The fragmented approach of member states and the USA's slow response has added yet more complexity to an already complicated situation."
