Liquid Relaxation

Libertarianism Security Travel
2006-11-06

For anyone who hasn’t heard, there are new EU-wide regulations on hand baggage - which have the effect of slightly relaxing the rules that were in place at UK airports (although there are still plenty of awkward gotchas). The implication of this, of course, is that either the original terrorist threat has subsided (although it would be nice for the security ‘services’ to explain why), or that they panicked and couldn’t handle the situation they suddenly found themselves in. Either way, I suspect the next knee-jerk reaction isn’t far off. In the meantime, maybe this will reduce the number of annoyed executives having to check in an overnight bag.

Incidentally, any particular reason we can’t have a free market here? I’d happily pay less for less ‘security’.

Comments

Yeah, I was hoping someone wouldn't spot that hole in my argument :) If airspace was owned by someone other than government, that might change the situation of course, but let's not get into that. I'm sure an imaginative solution could be found though - a 'one-size-fits-all' security solution still isn't justified, particularly when information on security threats is so thin on the ground, so it's impossible to tell how accurate or competent our protectors are.
— andrewferrier 2006-11-07 13:13
The problem is that plane crashes tend to affect more than just the people on the plane... particularly when they get hijacked by a bottle of water... Did you realise that the amount of liquid you can bring on is much, much smaller than any bottle of drink you can buy. So if you want to drink anything on a budget airline flight you have to buy it after security. Don't even get me started on the whole "after security" issue. You cannot take a lighter through (or you couldn't, not sure if that was relaxed) but you can buy one after security and take that on with you!! I would pay more for less security, as it would make traveling far more comfortable!
— Anton Piatek 2006-11-07 09:03
Damn right. I had a bunch of trouble this morgning due to check in closing, early, in front of my nose and thus forcing me to take my hold luggage with me through security setting of all kinds of liquid alarms and sh&¤... I'd go for the low security option any day.
— Mårten Gustafson 2006-11-06 22:44
Ick. Is root beer hard to get here? Not sure I've ever had any.
— andrewferrier 2006-11-06 22:33
I brought a can of root beer back from the US at the weekend, in my hold luggage of course... trouble is it exploded and covered all my clothes in stickyness :-(
— dps 2006-11-06 21:13