Fed: New air travel liquid restrictions apply from March

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2006
Fed: New air travel liquid restrictions apply from March

CANBERRA, Dec 8 AAP - Air travellers entering and leaving Australia will face new restrictions
on liquids carried in hand luggage from early next year.

The move follows the arrest in the United Kingdom of terrorism suspects plotting to
blow up airliners using the ingredients of liquid explosive smuggled aboard in hand luggage.

Transport Minister Mark Vaile said today that the government would introduce the new
hand luggage restrictions in late March.

"As a result of vulnerabilities exposed in the UK in August with regard to liquids
being carried in hand luggage onto international flights, the government this week has
taken a decision that as of March 31 next year, all international travellers, both outbound
and inbound, ... will need to be restricted in the carriage of liquids, aerosols and gels
to 100 millilitre containers," he told ABC Radio.

"Those containers will need to be carried in a one litre clear plastic bag in hand
luggage and separately screened in the way, for example, that laptop computer batteries
are separately screened."

Mr Vaile said the regulations did not apply to liquids in checked luggage, only hand luggage.

He said there would be exceptions for passengers with medical conditions who needed
particular medications and also for quantities of baby milk or baby food required for
the flight.

They would still have to be screened, he said, adding that experience abroad had shown
that the extra screening did not cause much inconvenience or delay.

AAP mb/it/nf

KEYWORD: TERROR VAILE

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