The UK Government has been warned that it must lift the ban on carrying liquids on to aeroplanes at the same time as other EU countries in 2013.
The warning from the EU’s transport commissioner came after the UK decided not to go ahead with the first phase of relaxing restrictions on carrying liquids. From this Friday, airport transfer passengers arriving from outside the EU will be able to carry duty-free purchases on to connecting flights at some EU airports. However, passengers travelling through UK airports will not be allowed to do this due to security reasons.
The EU has warned that the failure to end the liquids ban in 2013 in a coordinated manner throughout the EU would cause widespread confusion and be “disastrous”.
Currently, passengers are not allowed to bring liquids onto planes unless they are in sealed bottles containing under 100ml of liquid. Over 2,000 tonnes of liquids are confiscated from passengers at Heathrow airport every year.
A Department for Transport spokesperson said, “The safety of the travelling public remains paramount. It remains our intention that the restrictions on liquids will be lifted by 2013.”
