Foiled London plot will affect air travel regulations, practices

The terrorist plot to smuggle liquid explosives on board several planes and blow them up simultaneously, a plot foiled yesterday by U.K. law enforcement units, will lead to many changes in travel practices and regulations. The airline and tourism industries are worried that these changes will have a chilling effect on tourism and vacation-related travel, at least in the short term, with serious consequences for the hospitality industry. A short list of changes:

—DHS banned from carry-on luggage all “beverages, shampoo, sun tan lotion, creams, toothpaste, hair gel, and other items of similar consistency”

—Passengers will be encouraged to bring with them a checkable bag big enough to accommodate items they will not be able to take on board (otherwise they will have to discard these items)

—Business travelers must be prepared in case a ban on all carry-on luggage is suddenly imposed domestically. They are thus encouraged to leave room in their checkable luggage for important material (reports, brochures) they must bring with them to their destination. Business travelers are also encouraged to consider faxing, e-mailing, or FedExing copies of important documents ahead to their destination

—New rules ban moisturizer and similar items from carry-ons, so passengers should put on heavier-than-usual moisturizer before they leave home, with either a moisturizing self-tanner or tinted moisturizer on top. Other cosmetics which will last include waterproof mascara, and lip and cheek stain

—Passengers should apply hairstyling products before they leave for the airport and then “reactivate” them before they land by running their hands under the water in the lavatory sink and running damp fingers through their hair

—Passengers should pack shampoos and other lotions so they do not spill. They should take the cap off the bottle, squeeze the product so it reaches the lip of the open top, then screw the top on again tightly, forming a vacuum-like seal. There will still be an indentation in the bottle, and these bottles should be placed in a sealed plastic bag as well

—Passengers should check their kids’ backpacks for toy guns, plastic swords, and the like

-read more in Beth Harpaz’s AP discussion