June 2nd, 2007, 10:17
AIRLINE SECURITY COMPLAINTS GALORE AT SUVARNABHUMI
Air passengers caught off guard by liquid ban
AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK & ONNUCHA HUTASINGH Bangkok Post
Scores of passengers unaware of the carry-on liquid ban that took effect at all Thai airports for the first time yesterday had to dump oceans of liquid products and even chocolate and soaps before boarding their flights.
Liquid products, including gel and spray bottles, piled up in the concourse buildings at Suvarnabhumi airport and many passengers complained bitterly that check-in staff had failed to inform them of the new rule in advance.
Some passengers wondered why they had to leave chocolate and soaps behind.
''What liquids are they talking about? I really have no idea,'' one Thai passenger heading to board a flight to China grumbled as he was forced to get rid of some liquid products at the terminal.
The Civil Aviation Department introduced the ban yesterday.
The director-general of the department Chaisak Angkhasuwan admitted to the communications breakdown, saying airline staff should have informed passengers of the ban beforehand.
He explained that carry-on chocolate and soaps were strictly banned by some destination countries like Israel because such products could later melt. Therefore, they were also banned from being carried on flights at Thai airports too.
Suvarnabhumi director Serirat Prasutanont said the ban was in line with a safety directive of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
However, the restriction is not applied to liquid products that passengers buy from duty-free shops at airports as they are placed in sealed transparent plastic bags tagged with notices specifying clearly the sources and purchase dates of the products.
He suggested passengers check such bans at all airports they planned to visit. Some foreign airports might completely ban all carry-on liquids, he said.
Suvarnabhumi airport deputy chief Chaturongkhapol Sodmanee said all the liquid products left at the airport would be disposed of or destroyed.
Search staff at Suvarnabhumi airport said that most of the passengers they encountered were unaware of the ban and they were forced to abandon their liquid containers such as drinking water, shampoo and cream bottles with capacities exceeding 100 millilitres each.
Acting Airports of Thailand president Kulya Pakakrong promised to increase publicity about the ban.
Surapol Isarangkura na Ayudhaya, deputy director for crisis management of Thai Airways International, said the national flag carrier had informed its customers of the ban.
International passengers were familiar with it thanks to their past visits to other countries but problems remained with domestic passengers who had just learned about it, he said.
Bangkok Post
Air passengers caught off guard by liquid ban
AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK & ONNUCHA HUTASINGH Bangkok Post
Scores of passengers unaware of the carry-on liquid ban that took effect at all Thai airports for the first time yesterday had to dump oceans of liquid products and even chocolate and soaps before boarding their flights.
Liquid products, including gel and spray bottles, piled up in the concourse buildings at Suvarnabhumi airport and many passengers complained bitterly that check-in staff had failed to inform them of the new rule in advance.
Some passengers wondered why they had to leave chocolate and soaps behind.
''What liquids are they talking about? I really have no idea,'' one Thai passenger heading to board a flight to China grumbled as he was forced to get rid of some liquid products at the terminal.
The Civil Aviation Department introduced the ban yesterday.
The director-general of the department Chaisak Angkhasuwan admitted to the communications breakdown, saying airline staff should have informed passengers of the ban beforehand.
He explained that carry-on chocolate and soaps were strictly banned by some destination countries like Israel because such products could later melt. Therefore, they were also banned from being carried on flights at Thai airports too.
Suvarnabhumi director Serirat Prasutanont said the ban was in line with a safety directive of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
However, the restriction is not applied to liquid products that passengers buy from duty-free shops at airports as they are placed in sealed transparent plastic bags tagged with notices specifying clearly the sources and purchase dates of the products.
He suggested passengers check such bans at all airports they planned to visit. Some foreign airports might completely ban all carry-on liquids, he said.
Suvarnabhumi airport deputy chief Chaturongkhapol Sodmanee said all the liquid products left at the airport would be disposed of or destroyed.
Search staff at Suvarnabhumi airport said that most of the passengers they encountered were unaware of the ban and they were forced to abandon their liquid containers such as drinking water, shampoo and cream bottles with capacities exceeding 100 millilitres each.
Acting Airports of Thailand president Kulya Pakakrong promised to increase publicity about the ban.
Surapol Isarangkura na Ayudhaya, deputy director for crisis management of Thai Airways International, said the national flag carrier had informed its customers of the ban.
International passengers were familiar with it thanks to their past visits to other countries but problems remained with domestic passengers who had just learned about it, he said.
Bangkok Post