Easter flyers braced for an airline, airport security and baggage muddle.

April’s air travellers flying to, from and through The European Union will find themselves caught in the crossfire of a political and bureaucratic transport struggle this Easter, all centred around in-flight baggage allowances, security and the transit of liquids, known as “LAGS”. (Liquids, aerosols, gels).

Different transport industry sectors, regulators and industry lobbyists are all colliding at a perfect time to meet the Easter holiday rush with a confusing and conflicting array of interests and policies. The EU Transport Commissioners have already set their deadline as April 29 for the phased re-introduction of liquids (LAGS) through airports and onto aircraft. But, only last week Airports Council North America spokesman Christopher Bidwell commented in The Washington Examiner, stating their reticence to accept the policy. This is due to the new security equipment, which will be used to screen liquids for explosives, not being fully tested and not yet properly certified. He also said that it was unclear whether the TSA would accept the arrival and transit of duty-free or other liquids into the USA from Europe or beyond.

At the same time, Keith Spinks a spokesman for ETRC, a European duty-free retail lobby group, was quoted in Duty Free News International with regard to their meeting with EU Transport and Consumer Officials saying, “Our concerns were taken on board and now we are wondering what next steps to take with the Commission.

The most pressing issue we have at the moment is those low-cost carriers that are restricting hand luggage, which directly restricts the commercial activities at airports.” This campaign refers to their desire to pressure low-cost airlines, such as Ryanair, into relaxing their “one bag rule” restrictions. Ryanair and other LCC’s are yet to enter the debate, but expect a media firestorm when Michael O’Leary joins the fray.

In the Irish Mayo Advertiser (Feb 11th) Jim Higgins, North West MEP , has confirmed the lifting of the ban by transfer passengers within the EU in April-with the ban on all travelling with liquids and gels to be lifted by 2013. Crucially, (it stated) other major markets, notably the USA, Canada and Australia are not lifting restrictions for duty free items bought in Europe as US airport officials are concerned that this would create a security gap and may confuse travellers to their country. Thus, passengers travelling to these countries and then transferring will not be able to carry purchases acquired in European duty free shops. Higgins has written to the Transport Commissioners asking them to review in-flight baggage rules.

So, where does this leave the traveller from Easter and through the summer peak season? Ivor Smith Founder of dutyfreeonarrival.com says “duty free in Europe was abolished over 10 years ago, any goods sold from airports to intra-EU travellers can be (just as) easily sold to passengers inbound on the ground and in the arrival hall. There is no longer the need for goods to be sold outbound and exported, unlike the legislation for proper non-EU duty free sales to far off destinations. In fact, EU airports are moving apace to open baggage hall shops, nearly every major UK airport terminal now has one." Smith cannot understand why The EU Transport Commission wants to penalise airlines for their carbon use, whilst trying to force them to carry more unnecessary weight on-board. He said "the Politicians seem to prefer the PR to the practicalities".

Catharine MacIntosh runs the website zerobaggage.com from Canada, where the Government is actively reviewing a policy to reverse the duty free modus operandi and introduce airport arrivals duty free shopping. On her recent blog post referring to this debate “Less baggage should increase airport revenue” she thinks that airports may be missing a huge opportunity for extra revenues, whilst the general trend is to travel light. Meanwhile other duty free and air travel related web sites are now emerging, suitearrival.com, taxfreetravel.com, luggagelimits.com and onebagger.squarepace.com all address the subject of light air travel rules and regulation. ACI have published a document on the web called "Liquids, Aerosols,& Gels. Myths and Realities".

Clearly, there is now a web market for this widely discussed and confusing subject for flyers and perhaps the free enterprise of the internet through travel bloggers and web sites, will be a solution to help, inform and advise them. Meanwhile, the Politicians seem to be muddling the issue with their attempts to assist travelers.

You can check before you fly all world airport arrivals duty free shops at http://www.dutyfreeonarrival.com/en/home/