Stephen Hogan, Rapiscan's director of government affairs for Europe, tells ABTN about strong opposition to new airport scanning technology aimed at detecting dangerous liquids
The convictions of Abdulla Ahmed Ali, Assad Sarwar and Tanvir Hussain on September 7 for their part in a plot to blow up transatlantic flights using bombs disguised as soft drinks reminded many travellers why strict rules now surround liquids in hand luggage.
But few members of the public, it seems, are aware of a continuing EU review of these regulations which were described as draconian when first introduced in the UK in 2006.
In polls of business travellers and travel managers, airport delays have consistently been highlighted as one of the main negatives of travel.
Rapiscan Systems in California is one of a handful of manufacturers of new scanning technology which is able to detect dangerous liquids using x-rays, paving the way for less stringent airport rules.
Stephen Hogan, Rapiscan's director of government affairs for Europe, explained that it has always been the EU's intention to relax the laws after a certain time but only when such scanning technology had been perfected.
As Mr Hogan revealed, airports are the main opponents to the proposal to relax the regulations and the scanning technology despite it proving effective. He said as a result some governments were being successfully lobbied by airport operators to voice their opposition in the EU's review.
"There's so much discussion going on, it's very difficult to say how it's looking at the moment," Mr Hogan said.
"The airports still have their very specific view, the retailers have their view and the parliament on behalf of the passengers has another, and manufacturers are sitting in the middle."
Mr Hogan gave the UK's government as one that was generally in favour of relaxing regulations although its official line is one of impartiality. On the other hand the German government,Mr Hogan said, is one voice in opposition as the country's main buyer of new airport equipment.
Cost is the main argument against the relaxing the laws. If the proposal goes through it would mean airports would have to raid the coffers for new scanners or upgrades to existing x-ray machines.
The airports could also stand to lose out on retail money. Travellers caught out by the rules are forced to throw away drinks and toiletries carried in hand luggage before passing through airport security. If the rules were relaxed it would mean that fewer travellers would turn to ‘air-side' shops for sun screen and other essentials.
But retailers outside of airports are in favour of more relaxed regulations as it would mean travellers with only hand luggage would no longer be put off buying liquids such as a wines and spirits, Mr Hogan explained.
Mr Hogan said retailers were putting forward a strong voice backed by the economic benefits of increased revenue from tourism.
The current proposal to relax the rules will be examined by the EU's Council for Member States on Friday in Luxembourg before moving up to the European Parliament for its consideration.
Mr Hogan said that should the proposal reach the European Parliament there was "little chance of it being rejected."
The new technology works by using x-rays and clever calculations to determine the atomic weight of a substance, which can then be used to flag up potentially dangerous liquids.
Mr Hogan explained that benign viscous liquids such as honey and treacle could set alarms off but agreed that it was far better to err on the side of caution given the alternative.
www.rapiscansystems.com
Andrew Gough