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One-bag limit on hand luggage 'does not improve security'
By Anna Davis, Evening Standard Last updated at 10:34am on 01.08.07
New security measures at Heathrow caused delays for travellers
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Limiting air passengers to one piece of hand luggage does not improve security, according to the head of the International Air Transport Association.
Giovanni Bisignani said airport screening in Britain only inconveniences passengers, and the luggage policy only benefits airport operator BAA.
The limit was introduced by the Government after last August's airport terror alert. It said it was a response to a "very real threat".
A spokesman for IATA said the UK was the only country in the world to introduce the luggage restrictions, Mr Bisignani hand luggage 'does not improve security' said security measures at airports across the world should be in line with each other.
He added: "The US - EU agreement on the sharing of passenger data, signed this month, was a step in the right direction.
"But governments must focus much more on further harmonisation to ensure that effective security is also convenient for passengers. A particular focus will be the UK, where unique screening policies inconvenience passengers with no improvement in security. The only beneficiary is the airport operator BAA, that continues to deliver embarrassingly low service levels by failing to invest in appropriate equipment and staff to meet demand. This must stop."
A spokesman for BAA, which runs seven airports including Gatwick and Heathrow, said it has tried to cut queueing and improve airports' performance.
A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: "The Government has already launched a £1.5 million advertising campaign in the national press to remind passengers to arrive prepared and, where possible, is introducing changes to help make the security process quicker.
"But we have to be satisfied that any changes will not compromise the safety of passengers." Mr Bisignani also announced the half-year passenger figures for airlines across the world.
International air traffic passenger demand grew 6.3 per cent in the first half of the year compared with the first half of 2006.
The IATA predicted that record numbers of people would travel this month.
Reader views (3)
This is an appalling decision by BAA to impose this. We experienced a most traumatic experience when we flew out of Gatwick on the 18th July. Due to the one baggage which included our laptop, handbags and children's knapsacks, we were informed that we had to pay 75 pounds per extra piece we had to check in. I was not prepared to pay 150 pounds for 2 extra pieces ( a knapsack & a carry on bag ) & had to make adjustments to repack the bags in front of hundreds of other passengers.There were no clear instructions from the Travel agents or the tickets re these restrictions. The queues and confusion suffered by fellow passengers were dreadful. I am afraid that these conditions for travel are not dissimilar to being treated like cattle in a market & this is another factor to convince people that airlines & BAA do not have any respect for passengers. It is disgraceful as they know that we have no choice. As someone who travels regularly, I do not see this as improving our security which I am fully supportive of.
- Betsey Lau-Robinsob, London
Limits on carry ons need to remain. They are needed to prevent the space hogs from bringing and dragging everything they can carry - and that others will help them carry - onto the plane. There is only so much space aboard, and without limits there is chaos. There is space in the overhead for 1 per seat, yet I constantly have to fight for that little piece of my turf.
- Trunk, US
Yeah well the travellers - the really affected people - have known for some time now that it is another scheme for the government to spend less money on scanners and for the BAA to make more money from selling stuff we already had at the airport.
- Walker, London NW1
