Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat- Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper has been informed that the Saudi airline carrier, Saudi Arabian Airlines is preparing to issue a new measure that would prevent passengers from carrying any chemicals onto its aircrafts as hand luggage. This measure will also rule out any liquids, including perfumes, skin moisturizers and similar products. The new resolution is expected to be issued within the next few days.

The measure comes in response to a resolution issued by British and American authorities to prevent passengers flying to these two countries from carrying any hand luggage onto airplanes including mobile phones, laptops, drinks and any liquid substance, including perfumes. The resolution came in the wake of a foiled attempt by terrorists to bring down ten jetliners flying from Britain to the United States on 11 August.

Abdul Aziz al Tamimi, an official of public relations for media affairs from Saudi Arabian Airlines, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the safety management department affiliated to Saudi Airlines is in the process of issuing a statement to announce the ban of liquids and chemicals onto aircraft cabins with full details of the prohibited substances.

Al Tamimi emphasized that this procedure will only take place in relation to flights to Britain and the United States and will not include internal or external flights to other destinations unless Arab or western governments make such a request. A spokesman for Scotland Yard revealed earlier that 23 people have been arrested so far for their involvement in the foiled attempt to hijack 10 planes from four British airports which were heading for the United States. It emerged that the plan was to detonate the jetliners using smuggled bombs through electric packages that included liquids that transfer into exploding bombs when the planes take off. Accordingly, the British and American authorities have banned passengers in airports from carrying any hand luggage. They had further distributed transparent plastic bags for travelers to carry essential belongings such as travel documents, money, medicines and children’s basics such as milk.