Major UK airport set to become first to scrap 100ml liquid rule this summer
People necking bottles of water, squinting at the labels of shampoo bottles and debating over whether hummus is technically a liquid.
This has long been people’s experience queuing in airport security lines due to rules on how much liquid you can bring in your carry-on luggage.
Unless it’s bang on or below 100ml and crammed inside a small, clear plastic bag, you can kiss that perfume bottle you got for Christmas goodbye.
But Birmingham City Aiport is set to become one of the first major British airports to scrap the 100ml rule from June 1 2024 – just in time for the summer holidays.
The government gave major airports until June to upgrade their screening equipment for carry-on bags to relax and speed up security checks.
Birmingham airport bosses have been installing scanners that use X-ray technology to create a 3D scan of the contents of a passenger’s bag.
‘Highly advanced threat detection algorithms’ make it easier for security officers to spot anything suspicious, the government has said of the new tech.
So not only will passengers be able to bring in liquids of more than 100ml, but they’ll no longer have to remove large electronic devices such as laptops from their bags, as per current restrictions.
Nick Barton, CEO of Birmingham Airport, told Metro.co.uk: ‘Birmingham Airport has invested £60 million in a new security hall and scanning equipment.
‘From June 1, our customers will see the benefits of the new security systems as we roll them out, which will result in a quicker and easier pre-flight security screening process for our customers.
‘In the meantime, up until the 1st June date, our existing security restrictions remain in place.
‘It is timely to remind all customers that they still need to remove electricals during the search process and only carry liquids, pastes and gels, up to 100ml, in 20 x 20cm in resealable bags in their hand luggage.’
Birmingham Aiport, which handled 11,000,000 passengers last year, will be the largest airport to do away with these rules.
London City Airport and Teesside Airport were the first UK airports to relax carry-on luggage restrictions.
Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton have been installing the 3D scanners in their terminals but likely won’t be in place from June.
Most airports, also including Manchester and Stansted, say the new tech should be fully rolled out by next year.
The in-flight liquid rule was introduced in 2006 after police foiled a terror plot to smuggle liquid explosives disguised as soft drinks in their hand luggage.
The plan was to combine the explosives into cocktails and detonate them over the Atlantic Ocean.
Officials at the time responded by limiting what liquids, if any, passengers could bring.
In 2022, Mark Harper, the then-transport secretary, said screening technology has come far enough since then that these tough restrictions are no longer needed.
He said at the time: ‘The tiny toiletry has become a staple of airport security checkpoints, but that’s all set to change.
‘I’m streamlining cabin bag rules at airports while enhancing security.
‘By 2024, major airports across the UK will have the latest security tech installed, reducing queuing times, improving the passenger experience, and most importantly detecting potential threats.’
The Department for Transport said that, if all goes to plan, people will be allowed liquid containers of up to two litres.
Except it didn’t quite go to plan. Boris Johnson was the first to announce the rule change in 2019 that would have come into effect two years ago.
Yet the investment in the new technology was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, with the government extending the deadline.
Though transport officials stressed that as not every airport in the world has this technology, rules may differ for liquids.
Passengers should check with the airport they are travelling from or through for advice.
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