European airlines would support strict restrictions on carrying liquids and gels onto passenger planes, but oppose a complete total ban, a spokeswoman said Thursday.
"We don't want a total ban, that would be unrealistic," said Francoise Humbert, communications manager of the Association of European Airlines, at a meeting of EU security experts. "It will cause huge operational problems and hassle for passengers."
She said the association would accept a size limit of around 150 milliliters - around the size of a toothpaste tube or small deodorant.
Aviation security experts from the 25 European Union nations were discussing possible EU-wide restrictions on carry-on liquids in the wake of bans imposed by Britain and the United States after British police announced in August they had foiled a plot to blow up trans-Atlantic flights with liquid explosives.
Officials said the experts may need more time before deciding on the liquid restrictions, however they could recommend other measures - such as mandatory rules that passengers remove laptop computers so they can be scanned separately during carry-on baggage checks.
The were also looking at possible new restrictions on the size of hand luggage.
Any recommendations from the experts could quickly be adopted by the EU's executive Commission and become law across the block.
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