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contributed by Kathy Lang PhD If you live in a cave with no TV or newspapers, you might have missed the news of a major security alert in the UK during August. Flights to the USA are the main concern, especially flights by US airlines. But flights from other countries to the USA via Britain are also getting attention. Passenger safety is obviously the number one concern, and the authorities have come down heavy on security on all flights within the UK as well as international journeys. It may make life more difficult for travellers for a while, but that seems a small price to pay for safety. The alternative seems to be to stop using air travel altogether, and not many people want that! So how will these new travel safety measures affect you? If you're travelling from or through British airports any time soon, you need to know what the current rules are, so that you can plan ahead to deal with them. And first and foremost is the need to allow extra time to check in and get through security screening, because the new precautions mean that it's taking longer to get to the boarding gate. The major change affects cabin bags. Whatever class of seat you are in, you are allowed to take only one item of hand luggage. And whereas before, small items such as a woman's handbag or purse (actually sometimes rather large!) could be taken on in addition to the regular allowance, now everything must fit into the one bag. It's not a very large bag, either - maximum size is 17.7 inches high (45 cm) by 13.7 inches (35 cm) by 6.2 inches (16 cm) deep. But though that's not very big, it IS large enough for most laptops. And that's the really good news: for a week at the start of the scare, all electronic items were banned, and since these are fragile and unsuitable for being checked into the cargo hold, many people just couldn't travel. The new safety measures also affect what you can take through security screening. You CAN now take electronic items including your laptop, camera and portable phone, and your keys. You can't take any sharp objects - not even a tapestry needle or pins, no matches, lighters, razor blades live ammunition, nor any of the other dangerous items that haven't been allowed since 9/11. But now there are restrictions on liquids and gels, too. Essentially, you can't take ANY liquids or gels: toothpaste, shampoo, toiletries of any kind including any aerosols such as shaving foam, suntan lotion, cosmetics Are all banned in the plane cabin, as are all drinks. I can hear all the parents reading this thinking that will make life impossible for them to take babies on flights. Fortunately, there is an exception for baby milk and liquid baby foods, but the person carrying must taste it when asked to by airport staff. The other exceptions is for prescription medicine in liquid form, provided the container is not bigger than 50ml (about 1.75 fluid oz), and the medicine has been verified by a pharmacist in the airport terminal. So long as you can cope with these restrictions, the security screening process hasn't changed much. Electronic items must be removed and put in the trays without overlapping; coats and jackets have to go in trays as well. Of course, you need to have baby milk and approved prescription liquids handy for checking. In the UK, you don't need to take your shoes off unless you're asked to. Once you're through security, you can use the shops airside as usual - but what you're allowed to buy depends on your destination. On flights to the USA, you can't take liquids or gels on the plane at all. So you may not buy forbidden items such as shampoo and take them with you on the flight. And because of the need to be sure this rule is kept, you are likely to be screened again before boarding the plane. For all other destinations, you can buy and take on board anything sold in the shops between security screening and the departure gates. Once the first few days of real disruption were over, delays became less serious and less lengthy. But the increased security measures are bound to make it take longer from the time you enter the airport to the time you board your flight. Most airlines haven't given any specific guidance about this, but it would be wise to allow at least an extra half-hour for the check-in and security screening process. I've summed up the situation at UK airports in mid-August 2006, according to the information I had available. When things are changing fast, it's always wise to check that the ground hasn't shifted again. In the UK, the best source of the most up-to-date information - full of official jargon, of course - is the BAA (British Airports Authority) official web site. And for more on travel safety of all kinds, from how to be more certain that your luggage won't be delayed or taken by someone else, to keeping the kids amused on long car journeys and staying healthy away from home, see my web site on http://www.summertravelsafety.com on how to travel safely. About the Author: The Cape Spear web site on travel safety covers a wide range of topics to help you travel safely, whether you travel as a family or on business, on leisure trips at home or foreign city breaks, or even plan to marry away from home. And if it's travel bargains you're after, Cape Spear's discount and bargain travel travel site is a 'must visit' too. |
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