Carry-on restrictions ease a bit

THE revised rules for air travel were revised again last week, causing more confusion for fliers after the thwarted alleged terrorist plot in Britain.

Here was the situation at the Travel Section’s deadline Tuesday:

* London-area airports eased a ban on carry-on baggage, allowing passengers to take one bag about the size of a briefcase into the cabin.

Laptops, cellphones and other electronic devices were again allowed as carry-ons. Liquids and gels, including beverages and toiletries, were not; baby food and essential medicines were permitted.

For updates: British Airport Authority, www.baa.co.uk, and U.K. Department for Transport, www.dft.gov.uk.

* The U.S. Transportation Security Administration reinstated a requirement that passengers remove their shoes before going through metal detectors.

The agency continued to ban most liquids and gels from carry-on bags, but baby formula and drugs were allowed, as were certain cosmetics. Up to 8 ounces of liquid or gel to treat low blood sugar and up to 4 ounces of nonprescription medications were also allowed in carry-ons. Duty-free purchases, including liquor, were allowed if delivered directly onto the aircraft.

For updates: www.tsa.gov.

* Some airlines continued to ease limits on checked bags and waive change fees for affected customers holding nonrefundable tickets for travel through Sept. 1.

For updates, call your airline or visit its website. For a list, go to latimes.com/carriers.

-- Jane Engle

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Expert advice on what to pack

THE changes in security regulations have complicated packing. Are gel shoe inserts allowed? (No, but shoes with gel heels are allowed.) What about deodorant? (Solid, yes; gel, no.)

So we turned to some area packing experts for advice.”Take a really good look at your purse or briefcase,” said Lynn Staneff, marketing director for Magellan’s, a Santa Barbara-based travel products supplier. “Get rid of those travel-size hand lotions ... the Chapstick ... the liquid Binaca.”

Staneff’s bottom line: When it doubt, leave it out.

Staneff and Angel Castellanos, a buyer for Pasadena travel store Distant Lands, recommended packing cubes to organize checked luggage and carry-ons. The cubes also make it easier for inspectors, Castellanos said.

Joan Robinson, a tour guide and packing expert for Rick Steves’ Europe Through the Back Door, which is based in Edmonds, Wash., prefers a cheaper alternative: zip-lock bags with plastic tab zippers. “Don’t use the thread ones; they eventually wear out,” she said.

And finally, do the new TSA rules mean you have to leave that wonderful bottle of wine behind?

No, said Paul Smith, owner of the Woodland Hills Wine Co. His store uses Styrofoam containers to ship wine. They are insulated, reusable and inexpensive. Put the container in a leak-proof dry sack and then put it in your checked baggage. Robinson also advises finding out whether a winery ships to your home, to save you the bother.

-- Vani Rangachar

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Some insurers revise rules

IF you bought trip insurance, you may be owed money if your travel plans go awry. Or not.

We asked three big insurers how they were handling recent travel disruptions: Access America, www.accessamerica.com; CSA Travel Protection, www.csatravelprotection.com; and Travel Guard International, www.travelguard.com.

* Your flight took off within Britain or between the U.S. and Britain, but you were stuck in a security line.

Typically you’re not covered; the insurer figures it’s not the airline’s fault. But some companies were making exceptions. Access America covered flight delays on Aug. 10 and 11 between the U.S. and Britain that were caused by “security conditions,” said spokeswoman Emily Porter.

Travel Guard classified these as carrier-caused delays and would cover them on Aug. 10 and possibly later, depending, said spokeswoman Carol Mueller.

But CSA Travel Protection “is not making any special exceptions on that one,” said spokesman David Craychee.

* The same situation as above but on a domestic U.S. flight.

CSA wouldn’t cover this; Travel Guard would. Access America would take it “on a case-by-case basis,” Porter said.

* You want to cancel an upcoming trip because of fear or the hassle factor.

You’re probably not covered, even though some policies may reimburse you for some costs if you’re scheduled to travel within 30 days of a terrorist incident. But because the London plot was thwarted, it wasn’t an “incident,” insurers said.

-- Jane Engle