ETRC calls for "calm thinking" over EU security rules

Tina Milton

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The European Travel Retail Council has called for the industry to keep calm and pull together to find solutions that harmonise security rules for US travellers across Europe

The European Travel Retail Council (ETRC) secretary general Keith Spinks has called for the industry to look "calmly and carefully" at the measures needed to harmonise security rules across Europe for flights to the US, following the recent airport security crisis.

Spinks said: "The standardisation of security restrictions across the EU for flights to the US is probably a good idea. But we have to ensure we make these security additions without destroying the industry's business. We will welcome harmonisation as long as it's not at the lowest level which would mean an outright ban of all liquids."

He added: "We need to find an arrangement which will allow us all to continue. There's no need for us to harmonise with the US system as a knee-jerk reaction. We have to pull together to create a solution for the immediate problem by installing high levels of security for flights to the US that satisfy the authorities without putting restrictions in place that aren't needed. We need calm heads to develop a system with security experts that can be versatile for the industry."