PLANS TO allow transit passengers using Irish airports to bring liquids bought in duty-free shops in their country of departure on to onward flights had to be scrapped this weekend after at least 10 European Union states refused to relax restrictions on the quantity of liquids people can carry in hand luggage.
In a last-minute U-turn, the EU decided to maintain the total ban on taking liquids in containers larger than 100ml on aircraft because several member states, including France and Britain, said they would continue to refuse to allow passengers to carry duty-free drinks in hand luggage, because of security concerns.
The European Commission had wanted to modify the ban by allowing passengers travelling from non-EU nations to an EU state, or who are in transit, to carry duty-free goods containing liquids from last Friday. The ban came into force five years ago.
The change, which had been approved by Irish airport authorities, was to precede the abolition of restrictions on liquids in hand luggage within the EU. The commission wants to abolish the restrictions in 2013.
EU transport commissioner Siim Kallas said the removal of the restrictions had to be deferred “for a limited period” as a “growing number” of states had indicated they would maintain the ban. He said instructing states to allow duty-free gels and liquids while some refused to lift the restrictions would create confusion for passengers.
The Association of European Airlines, which has long favoured a relaxation of the rules, welcomed the commission’s decision as the “least worst” solution given that many states refused to lift the ban, and the US reaction to any changes remained unclear. “This should not have been a last-minute issue,” said its secretary general, Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus.
The Dublin Airport Authority expressed concern that the changes to the regulations could cause “terrible confusion” among passengers as the summer season gets under way.