The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has underlined the real risk that Asia Pacific travellers transiting through Europe could find their duty free purchases confiscated by airport security when new rules come into force next

Monday (November 6).
PATA is warning its members to be keenly aware that under new European Union (EU) regulations effective from Monday passengers on flights from non-EU airports transferring at an EU airport could have any liquids, pastes and gels in containers over 100ml confiscated at security checkpoints.
PATA rightly says: ‘The items will be confiscated even if they were bought at a licensed duty free shop at the originating airport, or on board the aircraft en route to the EU airport if it was flown by a non-EU carrier.’
This concern has already been voiced strongly by President of the European Travel Retail Council (ETRC) Frank O'Connell and was one of his themes at the Aviation Security workshop at the TFWA World Exhibition last week. He also flagged this up strongly in a major interview with The Business last month.
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and other industry groups are now calling on national governments, security agencies and aviation authorities to come together to develop a consistent set of global guidelines to avoid widespread confusion and disruption.
In its advice as to what travellers from Asia Pacific to the EU should do, PATA says clearly: ‘Follow the rules. If you're a non-EU traveller transiting through Europe and you want to take a bottle of liquor or eau de cologne over 100ml to your final destination, make sure you purchase it at a duty free store beyond check-in at the EU transit airport and not at your point of departure, or on board the aircraft if you are travelling on a non-EU airline.
‘Passenger safety is paramount,’ said PATA President and Ceo Peter de Jong. ‘But any new security procedures need to be applied consistently and communicated effectively to both travellers and the travel industry to avoid confusion and disruption. We urgently need one set of rules that apply universally.’
International Air Transport Association (IATA) Regional Vice President, Asia Pacific, Andrew Drysdale confirmed that IATA had advised all its member airlines of the changes over the past few days.
CAPA Managing Director, Peter Harbison, said there was an urgent need for airports to educate their staff and to ensure that airport retailers were well aware of the complex but rigid rules about to be imposed, so that traveller confusion could be minimised.
Meanwhile, Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) Board member, Joel Lafon, said that APTRA had informed its members of the changes, was in close contact with the ETRC and supported the development of a model for a globally-accepted, transparent, tamper-evident, sealable bag, which has yet to be approved by the EU.