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Major airlines serving Indonesia, including Singapore
Airlines, KLM and Qantas, have beefed up security measures on flights
from Jakarta to Britain and the United States in the wake of the
alleged terror plot in London.
A reservations officer with Australia's Qantas Airlines, Anandito, said
Friday in Jakarta that passengers traveling to Britain would no longer
be allowed to take hand luggage on board.
"Passengers from Jakarta to Britain can carry only items such as their
passports, airline tickets and documents in clear plastic bags," he
told The Jakarta Post.
The British government has issued a number of advisories to passengers
traveling from the UK in the wake of a suspected plot to blow up planes
was thwarted Thursday.
As with the restrictions, passengers starting their journey at a UK
airport will be prohibited from carrying hand luggage on board the
aircraft.
A passenger will only be allowed to carry a clear plastic bag
containing a restricted list of items, including a pocket-sized wallet
or purse for money and credit cards, a passport and tickets,
prescription medicines, glasses and sunglasses (but not their cases),
contact lens holders (but not the lens solution), baby formula (but the
contents of each bottle must be checked), and tampons and tissues (but
not their boxes).
Singapore Airlines assistant manager for public relations Glory
Henriette said Friday in Jakarta that, in the case of her airline, the
stricter security measures would apply only to flights from Britain to
Indonesia and other destinations.
"Passengers flying from Indonesia to Britain are still allowed to carry
their hand luggage with them on board as we have received no orders to
date from Indonesian airports regarding the introduction of such
security measures," she said.
However, she added that Singapore Airlines had imposed extra security
measures on flights to the U.S. in line with a request from the U.S.
Transportation Security Administration.
"Such items as beverages, shampoo, suntan lotion, creams, toothpaste
and hair gel cannot be brought into the cabin. These items must be
carried in checked baggage," she said.
However, some items such as baby formula, breast milk, juice for small
children or infants, prescription medicines bearing a name that matches
the passenger's ticket, insulin and other essential medicines could be
taken into the cabin after passing through airport security, she said.
"All footwear must be x-rayed. For people with disabilities, their
footwear must be checked with special screening."
"For this security screening process, our airline is advising customers
to check in early and to be prepared for delays," she said.
However, for passengers flying to the U.S., they will still be allowed
to take handbags into the cabin after passing through a security check,
she added.
The Netherlands' KLM said it had not yet adopted the UK security
measures on flights from Indonesia, but was applying extra security
measures on flights to the U.S.
"Passengers going the U.S. are, for example, not allowed to bring
liquids aboard, such as beverages, shampoo, toothpaste or perfume.
Passengers are also forbidden to take handbags into the cabin, while
documents such as passports and tickets should be carried in clear
plastic bags," a KLM officer said.
Nokia country manager for Indonesia Hasan Aula, who travels abroad
frequently, said he was not aware of the new measures.
"But, of course, I would be worried if I had to put my laptop in the
plane's hold," he said.
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