JLA told it can't relax hand luggage rules yet

Dec 28 2007

Some of Britain’s major airports have not yet been given permission to relax a rule restricting passengers to one item of hand baggage, the Government said tonight.

Several airports, including Gatwick, Liverpool John Lennon airport, Leeds Bradford and Edinburgh have yet to prove they can cope with extra bags without compromising security.

Ruth Kelly announced in November that airports will be allowed to relax their baggage restrictions in the New Year.

They had to submit plans to the Department of Transport to demonstrate that they have sufficient screening capacity whilst being able maintain security standards.

But only 19 have so far met the appropriate standards, and have been given permission to relax the rule on January 7.

A spokesman for the Department of Transport said: “Some airports have coped with the changes, but some need to improve.”

He admitted that passengers might feel confused about the different rules at different airports, but said it was the industry’s responsibility to inform them.

To add to the confusion, size limits on liquids and cabin baggage will still apply and airlines can place their own restrictions on the amount of hand baggage that can be taken in to their aircraft.

Malcolm Robertson, head of corporate communications at airport operator BAA, said he expected more BAA airports, including Gatwick, Glasgow and Edinburgh, to be approved by the Government in the next few weeks.

He said: “We’ve invested heavily in new security capacity including technology and people to help the Government lift their one baggage rule.”

He added that BAA had recruited over 2,000 new security guards in the last 14 months. But he said that Gatwick airport failed to meet the targets because it had a shortage of technology and people.

The airports that will be able to relax baggage restrictions on January 7 are: Aberdeen, Benbecula, Birmingham, Cambridge, Cardiff, Heathrow, Inverness, Islay, Kirkwall, London City, Manchester, Plymouth, Prestwick, Southampton, Southend, Stansted, Stornaway, Sumburgh and Wick.

Meanwhile BAA has further headaches on January 7 if a proposed strike goes ahead.

Union members from Unite have planned a 24-hour walkout on January 7 followed by another strike on January 14 and a 48-hour stoppage from January 17 at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Southampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports.

The seven BAA airports will have to close if the strikes go ahead because they involve crucial staff such as firefighters, security and maintenance workers.

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2 AIR Baggage

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EasyJet said they were worried that passengers could turn up at airports with the wrong amount of baggage. The company fly from Stansted airport, which is allowed to relax the bag restrictions but also from Luton, where the old luggage rules still apply.

A spokesperson said: “We are concerned that it could cause confusion for our passengers and we will be talking with the airports to make sure the message about baggage is as clear as it can be.”