Terrific TFWA at Suntec in Singapore
MAY 15 to 18 finds the Tax Free World Association Conference and Exhibition at the Suntec City Mall, Singapore's largest. Today, on 14 May, I attended the very fascinating Gate One Conference and the seminar entitled "Managing Risk: anticipating change and how to prepare for it - security focus". I learned how the serious problems associated with the threat from liquid explosives and transfer passengers has resulted in the confiscation of 2,500 litres of harmless liquids per day in Frankfurt Airport which amounts to some 8 million Euros per year! Consumer confiidence in the global duty free market has been damaged. Worse still, the global confusion over regulations about LAGs (Liquids, Aerosols and Gels means many passengers at airports are simply not buying. With ill conceived legislation, all passengers to Australia must have no LAGs in their luggage with screening done at the last port of call. In Asia, Singapore and Hong Kong stands out as the 2 airports with the intelligence and creativity to come up with pragmatic and workable solutions to this problem. In Singapore's award winning Changi International Airport, signs proclaim proudly: "Most passengers can continue purchasing liquids, aerosols and gels at Changi Airport's Transit Area. Please check the shops for details." Use of Security Tamper Evident Bags (STEB)is another feature of the smooth, pragmatic and sustainable system implemented in Changi Airport since 8 May 2007, according to Lye Teck Tan of the CAAS in Singapore. Armen Sahagian of the Transport Security Administration of the USA said, "Our goal is security. We cannot compromise on security but it must be a "risk based" balanced approach to counter the changing terrorist threat from liquid based explosives." TSA is currently field testing technologically based solutions to detect liquid explosives. The technological solution, howvever, may be too expensive to be viable worldwide. One solution to this dilemma may be options like the Heineken bar in Hong Kong Airport to encourage passengers to consume their beer, wines and liquor at the airport before boarding the flight. This, of course, would mean a losss of airline revenue from on board duty free shopping. Meanwhile, the TFWA Exhibition promises many delights from Minox cameras to Zonin wines from Italy. Bon voyage! By Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gurmet who is a Travel, Food & Wine Writer/Editor in Singapore.