A terrorist alert in the United States and United Kingdom will now affect passengers boarding flights in Tonga bound for the US, who now come under new restricted hand baggage rules.

Passengers flying into the United States of America would not be allowed to take any forms of liquid in their carry-on baggage, Sue Gardiner, the Manager of Air New Zealand's Nuku'’alofa office said today.

The security measure follows a warning at Heathrow Airport in London overnight, where it was feared that there was plot by terrorists to bring liquid explosives on board targeted airlines such as the British Airlines and American Airlines that were flying to the US.

Sue said the US Department of Homeland Security has today issued a directive to be effective immediately for all aircraft flying into the States to ensure that all liquids or gel are not carried on board the aircraft, all liquid forms will have to be put into checked baggages.

She said that this will include beverages, shampoo, suntan lotion, creams, toothpaste, hair gel, hand cream, liquid type make-up and items of similar consistency, all items have to be transported in checked luggage but with the exception of baby formula, breast milk, or juice for the baby and prescription medicine that has the name matching the passengers...’ ticket, and they would be tested upon arrival at the States.

Sue added that this directive applies to all airlines flying into the United States and Honolulu and most likely out of the States as well, but all other flights to any other country in the world are fine.