I just received the following from my travel agent in the UK.

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To protect you against the new threat of liquid explosives, the European Union (EU) has adopted new security rules that restrict the amount of liquids that you can take through security checkpoints. They apply to all passengers departing from airports in the EU whatever their destination.

This means that, at security checkpoints, you and your hand luggage must be checked for liquids in addition to other prohibited articles. However, the new rules do not limit the liquids that you can buy at shops located beyond the point where you show your boarding pass or on-board an aircraft operated by an EU airline.

The new rules apply from Monday, 6th. November 2006 at all airports in the EU and in Norway, Iceland and Switzerland until further notice.

WHAT IS NEW?

While packing

You are only allowed to take small quantities of liquids in your hand luggage. These liquids must be in individual containers with a maximum capacity of 100 millilitres each. You must pack these containers in one transparent, re-sealable plastic bag of not more than one litre capacity per passenger (see photo below).

At the airport

To help screeners detect liquids, you must:

* present all liquids carried to the screeners at security checkpoints for examination

* take off your jacket and/or coat. They will be screened separately whilst you are screened

* remove laptop computers and other large electrical devices from your hand luggage. They will be screened separately whilst you are screened.

It's worth stressing that the carry-on limit of 56 cm x 45 cm x 25 cm remains in force for flights departing the UK.

And will become mandatory on all flights leaving any Western European airport from March 2007, though the details of some special-case exceptions (such as for musicians) are still being worked on.

So any non-European planning a holiday here next summer using carry-on only will have an interesting challenge.

PS
"Western Europe" means:
- the current 25 EU members, plus
- January's newcomers (Romania and Bulgaria), plus
- Switzerland, Iceland and Norway.

Flanneruk is correct re the one bag rule; that includes a handbag. You can bring on a wheelie.

Expect longer line-ups at security. Two weeks ago then leaving LHR, the line up for security in economy looked about 1.5 hours long. BC was about 20 mins.

Also, be careful about tight connection times, as you will have to go through security - you may well need those 2 hours to transfer between terminals

How about camera and related electronic gear?? Has to be checked if bigger that a hand bag??? How can fly to Africa, Joburg, and avoid EU airports? Dubai, UAE? The terrorists are winning.
regards - tom

Whether the terrorists are winning or not (and many of us are old enough to remember making that complaint when security was introduced at airports, and what we've learned since is that without proper security the terrorists really do win):

If it won't fit into a 56 cm x 45 cm x 25 cm bag you can't take it on board a plane leaing Britain today. And, from March, won't be able to take it on board any plane leaving Western Europe. That does indeed include planes (like Air India's Delhi-London-NYC) that just stop in Europe.

If you're American, there are flights to SA via West Africa. And I thought Emirates had introduced nonstops to the US.

Just flew back from Cairo through Amsterdam to the US. Bought a small bottle of perfume in Egypt, make sure I put it in a baggie, took it out for the screeners, and it was confiscated nonetheless. It was under the allowed size...I wasn't real happy about it.

Just so people don't get confused, please make note of the effective date of the change. For the time being, you are still not allowed to bring liquids, etc. through security in the UK.

Why only ONE bag this size? Do two bags this size double the risk of danger? Why is the specified size the "magic" size to prevent terriost attacks?
regards - tom

I get the plastic bag thing, sounds the same as what I've been doing domestically, but I'm confused about the carry-on policies once in EU.

I'm flying in Dec:
Chicago-Brussels (American Air) and then same day connection Brussels- Prague (Brussels Air/AA codeshare).

I assume AA would allow me to board with my standard carry-on but I will be forced to check my rolling carry-on once in Brussels on Brussels Air?

Also, I'm going back to the US from CDG on American Air -- I would be able to board with my standard carry-on that they always allow me in the U.S, yes?

Whenever you get on a plane in Europe - virtually without exception - you go through security. Wherever else in your journey you might have already been checked. And the rules laid down by the authorities in the country you're being checked in are the ones that count - unless you're getting onto a carrier (like El Al) that has tougher standards.

So it's of no interest to anyone whether fishee's carron was accepted in a foreign country: it's the rules Belgium sets out that matter for the first change.

Fishee needs to check the rules in the countries he or she is changing planes in.

Bearing in mind that the Euro-standard for carry on sizes doesn't come into force till March (as I made fairly clear). But that doesn't stop, of course, some countries from introducing it earlier, as Britain already has.

Just go to the intermediate airports' websites.

Ladies and Gentleman,
Again I ask. Will a bag of the specified size reduce the risk of terroism? If so, then let's make it half that size to reduce risk further.
The real reason that this is being done is because the airlines hate carry-on bags. Not for security reasons. This is just now an excuse to reduce carry-on, that is all. The airlines don't care what you and I want to make travel easier for us, it is whatever makes their job easier. If we sit here and let them get away with this, then we deserve it. The "old" rules on seperate hand bag, laptop, small backpack, were reasonable and worked. But again the airlines if they had their way would NOT ALLOW ANY carry on bags.
Ok, now wait I know your reply. Which is - these restrictions make it easier for security check. Well, do we fly so that security check can have life easy? No, improve security check to make it easy for us to fly.
regards - tom