Airports on the Chinese mainland will limit the amount of
liquids, gels and aerosols in passengers' carry-on luggage starting
May 1 to bring their security rules in line with international
practices.
Fluids and aerosols must be in containers holding no more than
100 millimeters, and the containers must be carried aboard
international flights in clear, re-sealable plastic bags no larger
than one liter.
The new restrictions were issued yesterday by the General
Administration of Civil Aviation of China.
Each passenger will be restricted to one plastic bag, which will
be inspected by security staff, the regulator said.
Passengers on incoming overseas flights must follow the same
restrictions, the new rules said.
All liquid duty-free items must be carried aboard in intact,
sealed plastic bags, and passengers must produce their purchase
invoices.
Passengers on domestic flights can carry packages of liquids up
to one liter, but all alcohol has to be packed inside checked
luggage, according to the new set of rules.
Exceptions will be made for special items, such as medications
and baby milk, subject to verification.
The administration has ordered airlines and airports to supply
sufficient drinking water in waiting halls so that passengers don't
need to carry their own bottles.
The administration suggested that passengers arrive at airports
earlier than they normally do to allow for delays and be prepared
for the inspections.
The regulator said the new practices comply with recommendations
from the International Civil Aviation Organization. Following the
discovery of a plot to use liquid explosives on cross-Atlantic
flights in August 2006, the United States and European authorities
began prohibiting the carrying of liquids on board aircraft, with a
few exceptions.
In early December 2006, the ICAO issued a letter to its 189
member countries, recommending that similar restrictions be placed
on flights to achieve a globally harmonized security protocol. Hong
Kong airport, the world's fifth-busiest international passenger
hub, was scheduled to begin screening liquids today.
(Shanghai Daily March 21, 2007)