Posted on 09/14/2007 6:54:17 AM PDT by Kurt_Hectic
Norway's transport minister thinks it's downright silly that airline passengers no longer can take water bottles, perfume or other toiletry items on board flights.
Liv Signe Navarsete, from the Center Party (SP), plans to petition European authorities to lift the ban on liquids that went into effect last year.
"This ban is irritating for individual travelers and a major cost for society," Navarsete told newspaper Dagbladet on Friday.
She thinks officials need to examine whether the benefits of the ban really outweigh the costs.
The cabinet minister who's a member of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg's center-left government questioned whether the ban on liquids has made airline travel safer.
The European Parliament recently criticized the ban as well, and has asked the European Commission to lift it.
The new regulations for carry-on items, imposed after concerns had emerged about liquid explosives, allow only minimal amounts of liquids in carry-on luggage.
That's made it difficult for passengers to avoid checking luggage, because even the most everyday items like shaving foam, toothpaste and lotions are banned from carry-on bags.
"We all agree that we need to change these rules," Navarsete told Dagbladet. She called it "very promising" that the EU parliament agrees.
- pretty much the same could be said about a bomb going off in mid flight...
Arent’t they finding evidence of “certain passengers” carrying on hydrogen peroxide along with items that could be used to put together a bomb? Since profiling is out, what choice is there but to prohibit liquids?
Ban people, not things.
Just saying.
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