Flying in on AI? Don't buy booze

New Delhi: Passing through departure terminals of most world airports before catching the flight to India is a mind boggling experience for passengers because of the sheer range of liquor and perfumes stocked in duty free shops there. But those flying Air India have to contend with just eying the collection as the Maharaja is perhaps the only carrier whose passengers are not allowed to buy any liquid from duty free shops and bring it on board their aircraft. Even the other national carrier, Indian Airlines, doesn't have such restrictions for its incoming passengers.
What irks passengers most is that they get to know of the restriction after going through the exhaustive selection process, choosing the bottle that's nowadays allowed on most international flights. It's only when they show their boarding card at the shop that they are told AI fliers can't buy liquids.
A senior airline official cited an order of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security on liquids for the problem.
Meanwhile, the British Airports Authority on Friday said that due to changes in Australian rules, from March 31, European Union (EU) airports "will be unable to sell any liquid purchases to passengers travelling to Australia."
01/04/07 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Air India Apr 2007