Juan Santamaría Enforces Restrictions
Following Alleged Foiled Terrorist Attack

By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff
aroberson@ticotimes.net

Like airports around the world, Costa Rica's Juan Santamaría International Airport, northwest of San José, reacted yesterday to news of an alleged foiled terrorist attack on flights from London's Heathrow International Airport to the United States.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff yesterday told U.S. reporters yesterday that investigators believe terrorists were plotting to bring liquids on board these flights, “each one of which would be benign, but mixed together could be used to create a bomb,” the New York Times reported.

As a result, new regulations went into effect yesterday at Juan Santamaría regarding the types of materials passengers on flights to the United States can bring in their carry-on luggage, said Gabriela Hernández, an official at Alterra, the company that operates Juan Santamaría.

All liquids -- including gels, shampoos, sunscreens, perfumes and beverages – may not be carried on board in carry-on luggage and must instead be packed in passengers' checked luggage, Hernández said.

Exceptions include formula milk, breast milk and juice, which will be allowed for passengers traveling with babies and young children, and prescription medicine, which will be permitted if the name on the medicine's label matches the name on the passenger's ticket.

Airport officials will be conducting stricter checks of carry-on luggage to enforce this regulation, Hernández said.

TACA airlines yesterday released a statement advising its passengers traveling from Costa Rica to the United States to arrive to the airport three hours before their flight to allow for extra time in security lines.

In Great Britain, police officers in three cities made 21 arrests Wednesday night after uncovering a planned terrorist attack, Peter Clark, head of the counterterrorism branch of the London police, told The New York Times.

Chertoff yesterday announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security raised the threat level to “Code Orange” or High for all commercial flights to and from United States, according to the department's Web site.

Additionally, the department raised the threat level to Code Red or Severe for flights originating in the United Kingdom bound for the United States, the site said.