Australia’s Ridiculous LAGs Checks at the Boarding Gate: Why Is This Still a Thing?

When you board international flights bound for Australia from many overseas airports, you have to queue up for a secondary security check at the boarding gate. You’ve already cleared airport security at this point. But the Australian government mandates that airport security staff do another check at the gate for Liquids, Aerosols and Gels (known as LAGs).

The Australian government joined many other countries in implementing restrictions on the quantity of liquids that travellers could carry on board international flights in 2006. This was in response to a foiled terrorist plot to attack aircraft departing the UK using liquid explosives.

Many countries still do not allow passengers to take LAGs in containers of more than 100mL through airport security. But Australia is one of only a small handful of countries that still today, almost 20 years later, conducts a second check for liquids at the boarding gage. The Australian government mandates this for inbound international flights, except from certain designated “safe” countries like New Zealand, USA or Canada.

These checks aren’t just conducted at overseas airports where security is normally conducted at the boarding gate, like Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. Even at airports where travellers have already cleared full airport security before reaching the boarding gate, there’s a secondary check right before boarding where airport security staff search passengers’ bags for liquids over 100mL.

Most of the items that get confiscated in this process are perfectly safe bottles of water and duty-free purchases that travellers have obtained in the airport, after already clearing the main security checkpoint.

As well as extra hassle and inconvenience, this secondary screening results in long queues at the boarding gate, longer boarding times, and higher costs for airlines and passengers.

Empty water bottles incorrectly confiscated

Several travellers on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum have even reported that airport security staff conducting the LAGs checks mandated by the Australian government have incorrectly confiscated completely empty bottles, claiming they weren’t allowed.

This happened to me last year in Santiago, Chile. Other AFF members say this has happened to them in airports including Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Doha, Jakarta, Bali and Manila.

Australian Frequent Flyer contacted the Department of Home Affairs, which is responsible for this policy, about this. The Department confirmed that empty containers are allowed on flights bound for Australia.

“There is no Australian Government requirement for travellers to surrender empty containers prior to boarding a flight inbound to Australia,” a spokesperson said.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop overzealous airport security staff who may not be fully across the rules. As one AFF member described this policy:

Someone who doesn’t understand the rules trying to enforce a rule that is stupid and baseless created by people who are paranoid.

Himeno on the AFF forum

For example, several AFF members have observed that empty bottles are being routinely confiscated when entering the gate area in Ho Chi Minh City prior to flying to Australia.

One member wrote on the AFF forum:

Had the same experience at the pre-departure lounge security check at Ho Chi Mini airport. A security person was inspecting bags to check for water bottles, full or empty and advising passengers no bottles are allowed. 
The cabin crew were very busy attending to calls for cups of water the entire flight (Jetstar flight).

Rayesfeg on the AFF forum

Another observed that this policy seemed to achieve little other than helping the airport retailer that happened to be located past the secondary LAGs screening point:

Yes, same last week at SGN. Guards at the top of the escalator leading to the gate and they were confiscating all water bottles and liquids. Go down the escalator and at the gate is a shop selling bottles of water, soft drink and beer so of course everyone that just had their water confiscated were purchasing more and boarding with water, beers etc. 
Completely and utterly pointless exercise

jase05 on the AFF forum

The policy is poorly enforced

Further demonstrating how illogical this policy is, the secondary LAGs check isn’t even conducted properly at some overseas airports. Some travellers have reported that only some passengers in certain airports are actually getting screened. Others have pointed out how easy it is to evade these checks by simply putting a bottle of water in a jacket pocket, or handing it to another passenger.

One AFF member wrote:

At CGK which we go through a bit the staff at the gate check for water and then put a little sticker on your boarding pass so passengers just give the water to their partner, go up and get checked then get the sticker before going back to their partner and swapping it over

jase05 on the AFF forum

Another commented:

It is the most pointless check ever. You could wear a heavy coat and conceal whatever bottles of liquid you like in it…that won’t be checked, only your bags.

While it is required from Thailand…I remember boarding a Jetstar flight from HKT where most passengers simply walked past the table for the bag check….the checkers said nothing.

bcworld on the AFF forum

Why does Australia still persist with this outdated rule?

A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs said that it’s an Australian Government priority “to provide travellers with safe and secure air travel”.

“Travellers are permitted to carry LAGs if they are in a container of 100 millilitres or less, and are contained in a transparent, resealable plastic bag,” the spokesperson added.

We understand that the Australian government is still concerned about liquid explosives. But the extra LAGs checks at the gate really don’t achieve much, at this point. Most travellers would consider them a waste of time and money.

Surely it’s time for this ridiculous, unnecessary policy that was rushed into force two decades ago to finally end.