Toner Cartridges Banned on UK Flights

New air security measures have banned toner cartridges from being carried in hand baggage on UK flights. The decision comes after a suspect package, found aboard a UPS courier aircraft that landed at East Midlands Airport, was later found to contain explosive material that could have been detonated. A similar package was found on a FedEx plane travelling from Dubai to Chicago.

In a statement to the House of Commons yesterday (November 1st), home secretary Theresa May explained that toner cartridges larger than 500g will be banned from passenger hand luggage on flights departing from UK airports.

The same restriction applies to cargo flights coming into or via the UK unless they come from a regular shipper and with security arrangements that have been approved by the Department for Transport, Mrs May confirmed. Additionally, flights containing unaccompanied air freight from Somalia and Yemen have also been banned. The moves came into force at midnight yesterday.

"Our job, and the job of our security and intelligence agencies and the police, is to ensure that we are doing all we can to make sure that there are no gaps in our defences," Mrs May said.

Posted by Jamie Foster.