Agency Acknowledges Added Inconvenience

Traveling through airports has been, shall we say, challenging these days... and for those who must traverse the airport terminals of the UK, it may become even more taxing.

Be prepared for the new, the wonderful, the exciting -- random tests of liquids carried in your hand luggage.

The Department for Transport (DfT) issued new rules to UK airports May 1 asking them to randomly test those little containers of liquids carried in clear plastic bags.

Passengers, of course, are currently permitted to carry up to one litre or 34 ounces of liquids in containers of not more than 100 ml or 3.38 ounces in a clear, sealable plastic bag. (Has anyone done a study on how consumer businesses like shampoo makers and sealable plastic bag manufacturers have made out since these things went into effect?)

"We have been running the trial as if the DfT's rules had already been implemented (since January)," said a Heathrow spokesman. "We are already geared up for testing and there should not be any impact on passengers."

The test involves placing litmus paper in the randomly-selected liquid.

In a letter leaked on a pilots' discussion forum, the Professional Pilots Rumour Network, the DfT told airports: "It is anticipated that this introduction will cause inconvenience to customers, airport staff, and crew traveling through UK airports and will potentially impact the speed of security processing."

The Department for Transport declined to discuss the new rules, declaring that it did not comment on matters of airport security.

FMI:  www.dft.gov.uk, www.heathrowairport.com, www.pprune.org/forums