Aviation securityEU plans to sabotage US airport liquid regulations

U.S. airport officials are worried about a European Union plan to partially lift a ban on passengers carrying wine, perfume, and other liquids purchased at duty-free shops in airports. The new security gap may confuse and frustrate passengers who travel thousands of miles with expensive items only to be told they must trash them on connecting flights to the United States.

Beginning 29 April, the EU plans to allow airline passengers to keep liquids, aerosols, and gels purchased at duty-free shops in airports outside Europe with them when they catch connecting flights at about two dozen European airports. EU airports are hoping to lift the ban on liquids entirely by 2013 by installing technologies capable of detecting liquid explosives (“EU to lift ban of on-board liquids by 2013” 3 May 2010 HSNW).

The United States and the European Union restricted carry-on liquids, aerosols, and gels to less than three ounces in 2006 after the British authorities uncovered a plot to bomb passenger planes bound for the United States using liquid explosives.

If the EU plan follows through, travelers flying from Asia and Africa to European airports to connect to flights to the United States can keep liquids, aerosols and gels in their carry-on bags after being screened.

Christopher Bidwell, Airports Council International-North America’s vice president for security and facilitation, said the effectiveness of the technologies European airports will use to screen liquids for explosives is unclear and that they have only undergone laboratory tests.

The TSA has not said whether passengers arriving in the United States from Europe with liquids purchased outside the EU will be allowed to board domestic flights with those items, but that appears unlikely, Bidwell said in an interview.

He is concerned passengers will become frustrated or angry if they have carried expensive items on board multiple flights for thousands of miles only to be told they have to dump them in order to board a domestic flight to reach their final destination.

“This issue points to why we have to focus on making aviation security more efficient,” said Geoff Freeman, executive vice president of the U.S. Travel Association, which represents hotels, restaurants and other businesses catering to travelers. “Traveling has become too much of a hassle, and that’s hampering our economic recovery.”

EU airports and some European airlines have also expressed concern about the plan.

TSA spokesman Nick Kimball provided a statement that said the agency is working with the EU on security matters. He declined to answer further questions.

Victoria Day, a spokeswoman for the Air Transport Association, which represents major U.S. airlines, said it hopes Europe and the U.S. will “harmonize requirements to appropriately accommodate security and passenger-processing considerations.”