WASHINGTON, Sept 25: US officials on Monday allowed airline travellers to take limited amounts of liquids aboard a month and a half, after an alleged plot to bomb passenger airplanes originating in Britain.
Passengers will now be allowed to bring toiletry items that weigh three ounces or less and that fit in a small, clear, zip-topped plastic bag, through security checkpoints, a US transportation safety official said.
They will also be let to carry liquids, including beverages, bought in secure boarding areas, onto aircraft, said Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Assistant Secretary Kip Hawley.
“After the initial total ban, we have learned enough from the UK investigation to say that small travel-sized liquids are safe to bring through security check-points in limited numbers,” said Hawley.
But the TSA said it was unlikely that the ban on other liquids like gels and aerosols would be lifted soon. The new rules apply to all domestic and international flights leaving US airports.
On Aug 10, British authorities arrested two dozen men suspected of plotting to smuggle volatile chemicals onto several flights headed for the United States with the intent to set off explosions in mid-flight.
The US Department of Homeland Security immediately banned liquids and gels in carry-on baggage, but by Aug 14 allowed airline travellers to take in their carry-on luggage limited amounts of baby milk, personal prescription medicine and insulin.
US officials emphasized that there was no evidence that the plot involved any activities inside the United States.—AFP
