Pragmatic security rules welcomed by ETRC

Emily Pacey

Print Article E-Mail Article E-Mail Author

The European Travel Retail Council calls for a speedy implementation of the new rules across European airports

The European Commission has approved the new airport security measures that were proposed last week, paving the way to lift restrictions on the sale of liquids airside and allowing passengers to bring liquids through security checks. Under the new rules passengers on all flights will be allowed to buy liquids including liquor and fragrances from airside stores. They will also be allowed to carry up to 1l of liquid through security, in a re-sealable bag and in containers of no more than 100ml.

European Travel Retail Council (ETRC) president Frank O'Connell commented: "We welcome the rules agreed today [October 5] as being both pragmatic and necessary. Security has been improved to meet new threats, whilst the impact on the passenger experience at the airport has been kept to a minimum.  

"We now call upon European countries to fully implement these rules as quickly and as smoothly as possible in order to ensure minimum confusion for the passenger. To ensure passenger confidence, we need to make sure that they face the same procedures at all airports, not a plethora of different rules developed in isolation by individual security authorities. Today's decision is a major step forward."  

He added: "We are also particularly happy that these rules have been drawn up with the full agreement of the US Transportation Security Administration, which led to the lifting of the recent aircraft gate delivery obligation for all liquid sales made after the security check to US bound passengers. ETRC would hope that now a common security framework has been agreed, such unilaterally imposed measures will be a thing of the past."

The new security regulations will be implemented in 20 days' time.