Passengers keep flowing despite liquid ban

IT WAS business as usual at Dublin Airport yesterday as a strict ban on liquids and lotions came into force.

Security staff began preparing at 3.30am for the anticipated chaos.

But the expected pandemonium, which previously brought planes to a halt in Britain, never materialised.

From yesterday, air travellers are forbidden to bring aboard such items as liquids, gels, pastes, lotions and cosmetics exceeding 100 mls.

The actual amount is exceptionally small, less than one-third the contents of a normal soft drink can.

Despite advance warnings about the new EU regulations, Dublin airport staff discovered many forbidden items in passengers’ hand luggage.

“People were bringing in full bottles of whiskey, cans of beer and wines,” explained airport spokeswoman Siobhan Moore.

By yesterday evening, up to three wheelie bins filled with alcohol, including dozens of naggins of spirits, had been confiscated from passengers.

Before passing through the final security check, passengers are warned three times about the restrictions — at the front doors, then at check-in and also while queuing for security checks.

Those with liquids less than 100ml were handed small transparent plastic bags while passengers failing to declare permitted items had them confiscated. The measures brought a mixed but calm reaction.

“It’s a little inconvenient, but that’s it. It’s for safety,” said Courtney Johnson, 23, who was placing her toothpaste in a transparent bag before flying on to South America.

Others were more irritated. “It’s rather inconvenient and a little annoying. It’s lucky they are distributing plastic bags. But this deodorant that’s 150ml, I’ll probably have to bin it.

It sucks actually,” said Thomas Honer before flying home to Germany.

Longford-born Dermot Hegarty said people were accustomed to the same security restrictions in Britain, where he resides. “The only thing we found strange was that they are taking holy water off people,” he said.

As passengers hurriedly downed drinks before going through security, others said they were expecting this for weeks. “It’s just a necessary evil for safe travel,” admitted Geoff Shackleton, returning to Bristol with his Irish wife Clodagh and children Eoin and Ciara.

In addition to the gallons of alcohol accumulated yesterday, other items confiscated included full makeup sets, expensive perfumes, jars of jam, shampoos, tubes of toothpaste, hair colourings, deodorants, styling gels, patés and yoghurts.

Passengers buying liquid goods in duty free are asked to place them in tamperproof bags.

Dublin Airport yesterday appealed on the Gerry Ryan Show for a charity to take the sealed confiscated goods for fundraising purposes.