Brussels, 28/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - The new air security measures in force since 6 November, which, in particular, put a limit on the liquids that can be carried on board an aeroplane are not well understood, or indeed accepted, by air passengers. Such is the conclusion drawn by Green MEP Eva Lichtenberger after gathering comments on the blog which she set up recently to allow unhappy passengers to express themselves (see EUROPE 9310). Some passengers think it is contradictory, on the one hand, to limit liquids that can be carried on board to 100mml per container, while, on the other, allowing the purchase of liquids in Duty Free Shops, located beyond the points where boarding cards are checked. “This makes the measures inefficient because not every Duty Free liquid is controlled sufficiently,” she says on her blog. The 100ml limit does not make sense, she goes on, because “10ml of sulphuric acid can also do harm”. Ms Lichtenberger also finds the definition of “necessary” medical liquids, which are exempted under the terms of the regulation, problematic: “Why are liquids for contact lenses not necessary?” she wonders. Another point that causes discontent among passengers is the inconsistent way the measures are applied in Community airports. Ms Lichtenberger, who informed her colleagues on the European Parliament transport committee of her comments at a closed-door meeting on 20 November, feels that it is crucial for the Commission to clarify and better explain the measures. She says that the review of the measures, due six months after the regulation came into force, should be brought forward, and adds that many of her colleagues share her opinion.
In a press release, another MEP, German Liberal Alexander Alvaro, who is a member of the Parliament civil liberties, justice and internal affairs committee, also complained about the new security measures. Many passengers consider the rules as a humiliating and unpleasant intrusion on their privacy, he says, since items as personal as medicines are examined and inspected in front of everyone, while the passengers involved are subjected to a veritable interrogation. He also criticises the lack of transparency in the new rules: “Anyone looking for the legislative text on this measure will look in vain. … Secret laws like this only exist in banana republics”. Mr Alvaro continues attacking the effectiveness of these measures, warning, “No one will be able to prevent several terrorists from working together, each carrying the permitted quantity … In addition, it is easy to buy the ingredients for a simple but effective bomb in the Duty Free Shops, as the ZDF has shown … And finally, … no liquid carried on board in hand luggage is examined. Apparently, security staff have been so well trained that they can tell just by looking if a substance is dangerous or not”. (dt/mg)