Liquids & hand baggage

Katykat

I did a stupid thing returning from holiday recently. I bought a bottle of rum abroad and without thinking, put it in my hand baggage. At the airport, obviously they spotted it going through the scanner. The woman security officer told me about it & sheepishly I removed it from my bag. At that point she indicated that I could take it through if I paid €100. I refused & passed it over. Now, I'm a bit miffed here. I thought the reason we couldn't take liquids on board was a security measure, but it seems that they can turn a blind eye to it if you pay this fee. So it seems it's all about the money really, not security. Just another money making enterprise. Do they think that €100 would deter would be terrorists?

PeacefulWaters

They'd have probably put it in the hold if you'd paid up.

Or you'd have been paying a bribe.

peachyprice

This isn't how it usually is, wherever you were flying from it seems the security staff are willing to take bribes to bend the rules, anywhere I've ever flown through have thrown liquids in a large transparent bin, not asked for a bribe. So no, it's not usually about the money.

InsideInsurance

As above, you dont say where you were flying from. Its predominately local legislation of the place you are flying from that defines what you can and cannot carry.

Even within the EU there are a number of airports I've been through who arent bothered by liquids any more

maman

InsideInsurance wrote: »

As above, you dont say where you were flying from. Its predominately local legislation of the place you are flying from that defines what you can and cannot carry.

Even within the EU there are a number of airports I've been through who arent bothered by liquids any more

No problem bringing water through in Istanbul last week but Dalaman a definite no-no. Seems not to even be consistent in one country.

Katykat

It was Ibiza airport. It's my own fault, I know. I've flown enough times to not do this, but I just had a blank moment whilst packing. I entirely agree with security checks but this incident got me thinking whether it's more to do with money. The shops airside must make a lot of money from bottled water too. Also, just before our holiday we got an email from travel agents about charging phones/iPads etc. Well, nobody checked them either at Manchester or Ibiza. The only check that was made was when they asked my daughter to drink some milk from the baby's bottle.