New EU hand baggage regulations
The new EU hand baggage regulations apply to all flights departing from airports in the European Union, irrespective of their destination or the country in which the airline is based.
The new European Commission regulation on Security in Civil Aviation restricts the amount of liquids that passengers are permitted to take on board an aircraft in their hand baggage.
Passengers may carry in their hand baggage liquids or comparable items of similar consistency only in small amounts and in small individual containers. It must be ensured that these liquids are in individual containers with a capacity of no more than 100 ml, or the equivalent amount given in a different unit of measurement (as indicated by the maximum contents printed on the container – a half-full 200 ml container is not permissible). All of these individual containers must be packed in a transparent, re-sealable plastic bag with a capacity of no more than 1 litre. Only one plastic bag is allowed per person.
Liquids include: gels, pastes, lotions, liquid/solid mixtures, such as toothpaste, hair gels, soups, syrups, beverages, perfume and other items of similar consistency, as well as the contents of pressurised containers such as aerosols, shaving cream and hair spray
There are no pre-defined standards regarding plastic bags. It is, however, essential that the plastic bag of max. 1 litre capacity is transparent and has an integral seal (e.g. zip-lock or Velcro seal, squeeze closure or drawstring fastener). As neither airports nor airlines are required to provide these plastic bags, passengers are recommended to obtain theirs beforehand. The simplest and cheapest option is to use freezer bags with zip-locks, as available in most supermarkets.
The following are exempt from the restrictions on liquids in hand baggage: liquids that are used during the journey and are needed either for medical or special dietary purposes, including baby food, baby milk or baby juices for travelling babies and infants. These items, too, must be presented for inspection at the screening point separately from other hand baggage and, if required, passengers must demonstrate their necessity (e.g. by presenting prescriptions or plausibly describing why they are needed).
Duty-free goods obtained as follows are basically exempt from the restriction on amount of liquids: duty-free goods purchased on the day of the flight, after the boarding cards have been checked, in a retail outlet at an EU airport or on board an aircraft of an EU airline, may be taken by passengers through the security screening points if they are in a transparent bag that is sealed by staff at the point of sale. The bag must contain a proof of purchase readable from outside, stating the date and place of purchase.
If the journey involves a change of planes, with both the first flight and the connecting flight departing from an airport within the EU, then liquids that comply with the provisions under the previous paragraph may be taken on board the connecting flight. If, however, the first flight originates in a non-Community country that is not subject to the EU regulations, so that adequate security screening cannot be guaranteed, then the liquids obtained there may not be taken on board the connecting flight.
As the new EU regulation requires thorough, time-consuming screening of hand baggage, it can be assumed that previous waiting times at security checkpoints will increase. The security staff involved will, of course, endeavour to keep waiting times to a minimum. To help achieve this, it is essential that the regulations outlined here are followed, thus ensuring the process goes smoothly for all travellers. We recommend that you present yourself at the check-in desk two hours before the scheduled departure time.
Passengers will be required to remove their coats, jackets or blazers during the security check at the airport and take large electronic devices such as laptops out of the pockets.