Moshood A. Hassan

Your safety is such a priority in aviation that, it is non-negotiable and NOT a democracy. At this rate, people would soon begin to say that fastening their seat belts is not sensible, too, or that their rights to walk around the cabin during turbulence should not be controlled. But, every rule in civil aviation was created for your safety, not to antagonise you. Some of these rules are adjusted as technology discovers new ways to tackle some of the safety and security challenges that arise. In the past, you could walk through aviation security with your shoes. Then the shoe bomber happened, and security protocols changed. You were now required to remove your shoes for scanning. Today, some airports have the technology to allow sneakers walk through while boots and other heavy shoes must still pass through the scanner. It is for your safety. You only know what is in your shoes. You do not know what the next passenger has installed in the soles of their shoes. Criminals, terrorists, and hijackers innovate daily, and regulators must also do the same, both proactively and reactively. Better to be proactive. Take the 9/11 terrorist attacks for instance. It changed the way that civil aviation handles security protocols. People carry liquid explosives. This is why liquids over 100ml are not allowed in most airports. Some airports now have the technology to allow more volume. Once you cross over to the duty free area, the goods you purchase have undergone strict regulatory and security controls. The airport can voich for those items. There is a reason you are advised not to accept to help other passengers watch over their bags if they want to use the restroom; they may look innocent, like Abdulmutalab - the Christmas Day bomber - but you have no idea what is in their bags. Same reason you should never accept to help another passenger carry their carry-on luggage through aviation security posts. It may seem like a simple act of humanity to you, to the extent that you'd want to exercise your right to question the rules......until you land in jail for a crime you did not commit. In fact, during check in, you get asked questions like, "Did you pack your bag yourself?" It is for your good. Too many innocent people are languishing in various jails today, for being too simplistic about these rules. Sometimes, it is your favourite uncle who, unknown to you, is a drug pusher, that sets you on the path to deathrow by asking you to help him deliver a harmless looking package to someone else at your destination. Be careful. Comply with the regulations. You see, passengers do not have the requisite experience and knowledge to question the rules in this peculiar industry at a particularlevel. Beyond customer service and experience, safety is not your remit to question. IT IS NOT A DEMOCRACY BECAUSE MARGINS FOR ERROR SHOULD BE ZERO, AND YOUR SAFETY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE. Obey the regulations and focus on arriving safely at destination. Aviation is one of the few industries where you genuinely 'f**k around and find out'......usually too late because, by the time you realise the consequence of your meddlesomeness, you are already falling from the sky and dying. In Nigeria, the instruction to turn off your phone is only for take off and landing. You can use your device at cruise level. What is hard about this? Countries operate at different levels of technological advancement, and each state must apply the rules that apply to its peculiar operating environment, so long as ICAO's minimum allowable standards are met. So, for the perfumes, wait and buy from duty free, or pack them properly in your checked in luggage. Someday soon, Nigeria will be able to allow more than 100ml on board. Most advanced countries still don't allow it. I wish you safe flights ahead.