The Airport Operators Association (AOA) has published a statement criticizing the recent decision to reintroduce restrictions on the transport of liquids in hand luggage.
The gradual rollout of next-generation 3D scanners had led several UK airports to remove 100ml restrictions, meaning customers could carry containers holding up to two liters of liquid.
The City of London was the first major airport to do so in April last year, alongside others including Aberdeen, Newcastle, Leeds Bradford, Southend and Teesside.
But a temporary decision by the Department of Transportation reintroducing restrictions came into effect this weekendto “allow further improvements to be made to the new checkpoint systems.”
The AOA said airports' investment in installing new scanning equipment was “multifaceted and complex” and warned the DfT's decision had been made at “very short notice”.
Commenting on the news, Karen Dee, CEO of the AOA, said:
“All airports are investing hundreds of millions of pounds to implement this huge program of government-mandated technology and program upgrades with equipment and processes to meet their requirements.
“These latest changes announced on Friday, instigated at very short notice, have created uncertainty for passengers just as airports enter their busiest periods of the year.
“It has also put airport operators in a challenging position, with very limited time to prepare for the additional staffing and expanded resources this will require, and no clear idea of when this issue will be resolved.
“Airports are doing everything they can to mitigate the impact of this for passengers. We ask all passengers to be patient and ensure that they carry liquids in containers no larger than 100 ml, until instructed otherwise.
“The safety of airport staff, passengers and communities is our number one priority, and everyone should be assured that airports will never compromise this.”
Have you had any problems carrying liquids in your carry-on luggage since the rule changes? Let us know in the comments section.
aoa.org.uk
