Airport shops are feeling the pinch of new passenger-security rules

New security measures had repercussions for Sea-Tac shops Friday.

Lotions, shampoos and other products now prohibited in carry-on luggage were behind the locked gates of The Body Shop in the Central Terminal. The store was closed due to "the severe restrictions on carry-on items," company spokeswoman Carrie Steinberg said.

The retail chain, which has 25 of its more than 2,000 stores in airports around the world, wouldn't discuss the financial impact of the ban.

At Kathy Casey's Dish D'Lish, an upscale deli, signs warned customers that they couldn't buy the $6.99 sake teriyaki sauce, $8.99 Mediterranean Feta Bread Dipper, mini cocktail mixers, chutneys and other bottled liquids.

Duty-free shops in airports nationwide are also suffering, since up to 75 percent of their sales come from now-prohibited goods such as alcohol, perfume and cosmetics products.

Meanwhile, Mary Greer, who works at InMotion Pictures, a store for portable entertainment, said they had rented out all their DVD players. "Every time we get one in, it goes right out," she said.

Greer said customers wanted to be prepared for possible delays so they bought DVDs, video games, headphones and tons of batteries.

Still, it's too early to tell how the various businesses will be affected in the long run, said Rana Florida, spokeswoman for HMSHost, provider of retail, food and beverage concessions in the travel industry.

Buses, trains and ships

Little evidence seen of switchover sales

Representatives of Greyhound, Amtrak and several cruise lines operating from Seattle said they don't expect to be significantly affected by increased security at airports.

Ticket sales for Amtrak trains were up 15 percent Thursday over the same day last year, but company spokeswoman Vernae Graham said it wasn't necessarily because air travelers were switching to ground transportation for security concerns. Business has been brisk since the beginning of August, one of the busiest months of the year for all types of travel.

"We don't have any evidence that it's related to airport security," Graham said of the sales spike, adding that Amtrak staff, especially those on the East Coast, are making themselves more visible in stations and on trains in response to heightened fears about terrorism.

Greyhound has tightened some of its security measures in the past two days. For instance, passengers and luggage on some randomly selected buses will be screened with handheld metal detectors, spokeswoman Anna Folmnsbee said.

At Celebrity Cruises, which operates Alaska cruises from Seattle, staff were expediting the departure of passengers who needed to reach airports earlier than normal to catch flights, and they were keeping track of passengers whose arrival aboard ships may have been delayed by airport security measures.

But so far no ships had experienced major delays because of the security, Celebrity spokeswoman Tracy Quan said.

In response to heightened security concerns for international travel, the Victoria Clipper announced that passengers traveling on the Victoria, B.C.-to-Seattle leg of its round-trip service from the Seattle waterfront will be allowed to carry one purse, personal fanny pack or laptop, as long as the computer is stored in a case. Electronics such as phones, iPods and handheld video-game devices must be stored in checked bags. Passengers who don't have luggage to check can check the restricted items with a ticket agent.

Airport freebies

Water bottles come with an advisory

In an ironic twist to the new rules banning liquids and gels in hand luggage, Sea-Tac Airport spokeswoman Rachel Garson said airport staff handed out about 46,000 bottles of water to passengers who stood for hours in long security lines on Thursday. She pointed out the water was meant to be drunk before ticket holders reached security checkpoints.

Staffers, about 120 of whom left their regular desk jobs to help manage crowds in the check-in areas, also gave coloring books and markers to children to help them cope with the frustrating waits, she said.

Seattle Times staff reporters Tyrone Beason and Bibeka Shrestha, staff photographer John Lok and Bloomberg News contributed to this report.