CAA bounds passengers to get luggage plastic wrapped

ISLAMABAD - The Civil Aviation Authority has made plastic wrapping of check-in luggage, compulsory at all airports with fixed charges of Rs 50.

All check-in baggage of international and domestic passengers is to be wrapped with plastic sheets at the initial stage of scanning at search counters of the ASF, ANF and Customs, said a notification issued by the authority on Thursday.

As per the new directives, the passengers would have to get their luggage wrapped for which CAA would need to install more plastic wrapping machines at airports.

The fixed charges of Rs50 are for Lahore and Islamabad Airport initially; globetrotters say the decision would make the luggage secure.

Nonetheless, the decision to make plastic wrapping compulsory is drawing the ire of passengers who are of the view that plastic is the cause of environmental pollution.

They are of the view that at one end the government is trying to get rid off plastic shopping bags, while on the other end, using the same plastic for wrapping the luggage.