EU debates tighter controls on hand luggage

Aviation security experts from across the European Union began a two-day meeting in Brussels today to consider an EU-wide ban on passengers carrying liquids onto planes as part of new anti-terror measures.

Britain, the United States and some other nations banned carry-on liquids in August after British police announced they had foiled a plot to blow up planes with liquid explosives.

Experts from the 25-nation EU began considering the merits of a similar ban across Europe and other safety issues, such as reducing the size or number of bags that can be carried onto planes and increasing the current requirement that at least 10 per cent of bags are searched by hand.

“We must define what measures have to be taken in Europe to combat the threat that has been exposed in the United Kingdom in August,” said Raymond Benjamin, the executive secretary of the European Civil Aviation Conference.

Aria Pulliainan, a Finnish aviation security expert, said “something has to be decided,” but that stricter carryon rules should be based “on what is really necessary and proportionate”.

A recommendation from the experts could quickly be adopted by the EU’s executive Commission and become law across the block. However, officials said more experts’ meetings may be necessary as they looked into some of the technical issues, such as the quantities of liquid that may be allowed on.

EU nations are looking to find a way that would allow passengers to continue to carry on duty-free drinks and perfumes bought at airports, officials said. European authorities will hold consultations with air travel industry representatives before the meeting to discuss the practicalities of possible new measures.

The experts also were likely to review technical innovations on scanning luggage for suspect materials. Powerful scanners used on checked luggage are better able to detect explosives than those used on carry-on bags, but their bulk and expense have deterred airports from installing them in departure lounges.