Pilots seek solution to luggage liquids ban

At an ‘air travel security summit’ yesterday the government was expected to exclude airline staff from the new ban on contact lens solutions and other liquids in hand luggage.

The British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa) said its members objected angrily to that and other restrictions imposed by the government in the wake of last month’s alleged terror plot.

It had called for a security summit of airport operators, airlines, the Department of Transport’s security team, pilots, cabin crew and ground staff to discuss the new security measures.

Balpa called the ban on pilots taking bottles of contact lens solution through security ‘stupid’. Aircraft staff were allowed to take on board only lens cases filled with solution.