International travellers carrying liquids and gels in containers larger than 100ml as hand luggage will have their goods confiscated at check-in points, the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) said on Thursday.
Acsa was briefing the media on their new security measures, which are to be applied at three South African international airports from June 1.
This, they said, would be done in order to comply with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (Icao) standards.
The new regulations imply that passengers will not be allowed to carry on board as hand luggage perfume, shampoo, suntan lotion, creams, toothpaste, hair gel and other items in bottles larger than 100ml.
These items will then have to be sealed in resealable 20cm plastic bags that will be provided at the airport for a period of about a month starting from the inception date, Acsa director for airport operations Bongani Maseko said.
Items exceeding 100ml will be allowed on board, provided they are put in checked-in luggage. But if those items are suspected to be explosives, they will be detected through x-ray machines used to scrutinise luggage.
”In an effort to streamline security checks and processes, Acsa recommends that passengers should place all liquids, aerosols and gels in their check-in luggage. However, passengers that do decide to carry those items for various reasons need to take these regulations into account when planning their trips,” he said.
An exception has, however, been made for passengers with babies and those on medication.
”Those with baby formula and baby food, as well as those on medication, will be allowed to carry liquids exceeding the 100 millilitres provided they have prescriptions from their doctors,” Maseko said.
An estimated R2,3-million has been set aside for the implementation of the new regulations.
The new safety standards follow a state of terror that gripped Britain when 21 people were caught for a plot involving the hiding of explosives in hand baggage for detonation on flights bound for the United States.
Several European airports immediately tightened their security following this, as per regulations of the Icao, which South Africa is a member of. — Sapa