Airport liquid rules to be eased
Wednesday August 01 2007
TRAVELLERS who buy perfume, alcohol or water in non-EU airport duty-free shops and then transfer at an EU airport will not automatically have it confiscated in future.
A new regulation adopted by the European Commission means passengers will be able to keep liquids bought at airports outside the EU, which are judged to have good levels of security.
At present travellers face having bottles confiscated when transferring at EU airports, even when bought at airport duty free shops.
The European Commission said yesterday that it expects to announce this autumn which airports will be exempted from having the goods they sell confiscated.
Likely initial contenders are the US, Singapore and Russia.
At present, passengers transferring within the EU are not allowed to carry liquids on board connecting flights if the quantity is more than the limited amount allowed to be carried in sealed plastic bags as part of hand luggage.
The current rules mean a person flying from Singapore to Dublin via Frankfurt faces having any duty free bottles bought at the start of their journey confiscated when they transfer planes in Frankfurt.
The commission said it will consider individual airport's security levels on a case by case basis.
- Eugene Moloney
