UKSome security rules on liquids in airport hand luggage will be scrapped in 2024 in the UK.
The British government has set a deadline of June 2024 for most UK airports to install new high-tech 3D scanners, that show more detailed images of baggage.
The amendments will see the 100ml liquid rule increased to two liters and passengers won’t need to remove electrical items from bags at security.
A previous installation deadline was changed in wake of the Covid 19 pandemic.
Currently, passengers are required to remove items such as tablets, laptops, and liquids from their hand luggage for screening at security checks at airports.
Liquids, such as sunscreen, shampoo, or toothpaste need to be 100ml or under and must be in a clear plastic bag.
The limits have been imposed since November 2006 and their introduction marked the end of a ban on liquids in the cabin imposed three months earlier when British police said they had uncovered a plot to blow up as many as 10 planes using explosives hidden in drinks bottles.
The government said it’s necessary for airports to upgrade screening equipment to a type similar to CT scanners used in hospitals, which will mean eventually the rules on electrical items can be lifted and the liquid limit can extend up to two liters.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the new technology would reduce queue times to improve the “passenger experience, and most importantly detecting potential threats”.
Christopher Snelling, policy director at the Airport Operators Association, which represents UK airports, added the investment was a “great step forward for UK air travel, matching the best in class around the world”.
“It will make the journey through the UK’s airports easier and air travel itself more pleasant,” he added.
The technology has already been installed by US airports, such as Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson and Chicago’s O’Hare, for a number of years.
