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Ron Anderson: “The current issues facing our consumers are not good for anyone… a solution needs to be found.” |
INTERNATIONAL. Drinks giant Diageo has become the latest major industry player to donate €50,000 to the campaign to address the challenges posed by the 6 November EU aviation security regulations.
Yesterday Swiss travel retailer Dufry and German airports group Fraport announced similar pledges, as had German retailer Gebr Heinemann late last month.
As a result of the new security regime, passengers travelling into the EU, EEA or Switzerland and then transiting onwards face confiscation of liquids/gels in quantities of over 100ml per container and 500ml total per person. That includes duty free purchases from their airports of origin.
The threat is likely to get worse. The ETRC says that if there is global introduction of the new EU and US rules, the same transit restrictions would apply equally in those cases. For example on a Moscow-Dubai-Hong Kong journey, Dubai International Airport would have to confiscate any liquid over 100ml from the passenger who had bought in Moscow and was en route to Hong Kong.
Announcing his company’s commitment today through The Moodie Report, Diageo General Manager, Global Travel and Middle East – Worldwide Ron Anderson told us: “We at Diageo fully support the security measures that have been in place since the August incident. Passenger security is the number one priority.
“However the current issues facing our consumers are not good for anyone. A solution needs to be found, particularly for people transiting through EU and North American airports.
“It’s a complex issue – many governments, commissions and bodies are involved,” Anderson added. “It will take time and resources and that’s why we have no hesitation in supporting the ETRC with €50,000 as our contribution.”
MORE STORIES ON THE SECURITY ISSUE
“˜Confiscations of 1,200 litres a day in certain places’; transit crisis worsens – 21/11/06
ETRC calls on trade to force security issue onto the political agenda – 20/11/06
Non-EU airport websites fail to fill the information gap on new security rules – 20/11/06
EU talks with US over new security measures prove inconclusive – 14/11/06
ACI World calls for harmonised global duty free regulations by 31 March 2007 – 07/11/06
Hold the Front Page; how the daily media covered the November 6 changes – 07/11/06
