New Delhi   

Relief for air travellers

Staff Reporter

Ban on carrying liquids relaxed

NEW DELHI: There is good news for air travellers. With the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) finally relaxing the ban on liquids, passengers are now allowed to carry liquids, creams and gels in small quantities in their hand baggage.

Taking its time to ensure that everything is clear, India is one of the last few countries in the world to relax the restriction on liquids that came into place after there was a security breach at London's Heathrow airport last August.

"The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) that is responsible for the security at the airport received a circular on September 29 about the relaxation on liquids. Passengers are now allowed to take 100 ml of liquid or gels on to their flight," said an airport official. However, gels or liquids are being allowed on the flights as hand baggage in separate transparent bags or bottles. Applying to domestic as well as international flights, it will make travelling by air a little easier. With the relaxation of this restriction, whih had caused many heated exchanges between security personnel and passengers, airport officials have breathed a sigh of relief.

"Liquid medicines are also being allowed on to the flight in the hand baggage as long as passengers have a prescription for it. Earlier there was some restriction on taking cosmetics like lipsticks on to the flight, but now security officials are allowing them," said an official.

With most passengers only finding out that they are allowed to carry liquids on the flight after they reach the airport, airlines are ensuring that they get the benefit of the relaxation and some low cost operators are also keeping transparent bags for passengers to put their items into. The items that were banned in hand baggage earlier included creams, lotions, toothpaste and any liquids.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

BJP postpones organisational elections
Imaging desire, myths, liberation, exhilaration and much more... .
Inspector commits suicide
Relief for air travellers
Apex court pulls up Ministry over Ganga Action Plan
Held with fake currency
Celebrating resistance
American firm roped in for airport upgradation
Sealing drive to begin on November 1
A special treat from Uttaranchal
Robbed of Rs. 29 lakhs
Cherishing their single tag
Delhi's biggest baraat ghar on the way
Malini Ramani allowed to go abroad
A new beginning
Rajashree Cong. nominee for Vidisha
`Per capita consumption of rice declining in Asia'
Around the City
Briefly
In the Capital Today
Occupational hazards of being in the police

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu