Liquids, gels are permissible again on flights!

Creams, lotions, toothpaste and other liquid and gels are slowly finding their way back into flights after a recent government order allowing passengers to carry limited quantity of these items separately.

While leading low-cost carrier Air Deccan and Air-India are yet to implement the order, Kingfisher and SpiceJet said they have implemented the new order of allowing up to 100 ml of liquids and gels to be carried in a separate bag during the journey.

An official of Air Deccan said it was still following the blanket ban on liquids and gels as it was yet to get intimation from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).

"We are still complying with the earlier order of ban on liquids and gels. We expect the new order in the next two to three days and we will take action accordingly," the official said.

Similarly, an Air-India official said that it too had not got any formal orders from BCAS.

"Other than duty free items, we are not allowing any liquid or gel. As soon as we get the order we will take appropriate action," the Air-India

official said.

Low-cost carrier Spicejet, however, said it has already allowed limited quantity of liquid and gels in its flights.

"However, we are allowing them to be carried only in a transparent bag," a Spicejet official said.

A spokesperson of Kingfisher said the carrier has taken steps to ensure that the new guideline is followed. Officials of leading carrier Jet Airways and Air Sahara, however, could not be reached for comments.

The BCAS had last month issued an order asking airlines to allow passengers to carry up to 100 ml of liquids and gels in a separate bag, while retaining the prohibition of carrying such items in hand baggage.

The government, however, had allowed medicines and inhalers accompanied by prescriptions and baby foods in hand baggage. Items such as beverages, shampoos, sun-tan lotions, creams toothpastes, hair gels and hair spray were banned from flights after the foiled terrorist attempt in London in August.