AIR TRAVELLERS may end up paying a high price for their confusion from today as a blanket security rule regarding hand luggage is replaced by dozens of individual airline and airport policies.
A relaxation in hand luggage restrictions by the Department for Transport will see the one bag limit on hand luggage lifted at 22 airports from this morning.
To coincide with these changes, some airlines will also change hand baggage rules, but fo
r some the one-bag rule will stay. This means travellers must check with both their airline and airport before travelling and adhere to the most restrictive of the two.
Those who fall foul of the changes may face having to pay for their bags to be placed in the hold at the last minute, as some carriers charge a fee for checked baggage – and levy a further premium when the facility is not reserved in advance.
Air passenger groups have warned there is likely to be confusion over the coming days as travellers get used to the new arrangements – the first major change since terror plots to blow up aircraft were foiled on 10 August 2006.
Among the airports to see transport department restrictions lifted are Edinburgh, Heathrow, Stansted, Glasgow and Manchester. But other airports – most notably London Gatwick – have yet to have the rule changed.
It means that, for example, travellers flying with British Airways from Glasgow to Gatwick and back will be able to take two bags onboard their departing flight but only one on the way back. Those making the same journey with EasyJet will face the one-bag rule in both directions.
Neil Pakey, deputy chairman of the Airport Operators Association, said: "Airport operators are dedicated to ensuring that passenger flying experience is as smooth as possible. However, different rules for different airlines and airports means that it is essential passengers check the situation before they fly.
"Other restrictions, such as the carrying-on of liquids, remain in force. I would urge passengers to check ahead and plan ahead, to avoid any unnecessary last-minute hassle.
"If in doubt, passengers should make sure that they only take on board items of baggage needed in the aircraft cabin."
James Freemantle, industry affairs manager of the Air Transport Users' Council, said: "The changes will be good news for many travellers and provide a lot more flexibility for passengers departing Britain's airports.
"Of course, the flipside is that it is likely to mean a return to longer security queues as screeners will have more items to scan. The majority of complaints we receive are not about baggage restrictions but about the length of time it takes to clear security. That remains the biggest gripe. I think most people accept the need for the security process and the limits that go with it."
Business leaders welcomed the changes, which will chiefly benefit travellers who carry laptop computers or briefcases in addition to their luggage. Graham Birse, deputy chief executive of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, said: "This will at long last bring airports such as Edinburgh into line with the arrangements at major European hubs such as Schiphol and Paris.
"It also means that passengers going to do a day's business in London or Europe can do so while carrying their laptop or handbag. For a long time we have endured the sort of hassle which has driven a lot of business on to alternative train services."
But he added: "Some airlines do charge for the privilege of checked baggage and some will only be allowing premium passengers to take two items through security so in many cases the luggage flexibility will come at a significant cost."
EasyJet, which promotes itself as a business-friendly budget airline, will not be relaxing its one-bag restriction. It claimed airports were raising fees for airlines which allowed passengers to take more bags through security.
Andy Harrison, EasyJet's chief executive, said: "There is massive scope for customer confusion in an environment where UK airports are adopting different policies. The only way to maintain a simple and standard policy is to maintain our one bag policy.
"Also some of the major BAA airports are using the relaxation of the one bag rule as a pretext to further increase passenger charges. They increased charges when the restriction was introduced and now they want to increase charges again to remove it. EasyJet will continue to resist such attempts and calls on the Civil Aviation Authority for its full support."
