Flag carrier Philippine Airlines on Thursday reminded air travelers, especially those bound for Hong Kong, not to bring banned items in their belongings.
In its advisory, PAL stated the Firearms and Ammunition Office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region prohibited all passengers from carrying in their check-in luggage and hand-carry bags the devices which were considered as “arms.”
The banned items include stun guns, extendible batons, pepper spray, tear gas, bullets, flick knives and knuckle dusters.
“These devices are restricted unless appropriate licenses are presented upon entry in Hong Kong. All hand-carried and checked-in luggage of passengers transiting or entering Hong Kong are subjected to security screening at the airport terminals,” the PAL management stated.
The unlicensed possession of these restricted items is punishable by a fine of HK$100,000.00 and a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment.
PAL has put in place appropriate signs at the check-in counters and boarding gates to help ensure passenger awareness.
“Please comply with this existing ordinance, as advised by the Philippine Consulate General and the concerned authorities in Hong Kong,” the airline management said.
Just recently, the Manila International Airport Authority came up with the same advisory to all passengers.
The MIAA advisory came days after a Filipino student going to Canada was arrested and detained in an airport in Hong Kong after a restricted item was found in his luggage.
The student, whose name was withheld, was intercepted in Hong Kong airport for bringing extendable batons in his check-in baggage.
The Philippine Consulate General had appealed to Filipino passengers entering or transiting Hong Kong to refrain from bringing prohibited items, particularly stunning devices.
Bringing personal defense weapons such as pepper spray, tear gas, flick knives and knuckledusters are also prohibited because these are also considered dangerous weapons in Hong Kong.
MIAA general manager Eddie Monreal ordered his men to put up more signages and posters in NAIA to remind passengers bound for Hong Kong to make sure they are not bringing those items in their luggage.