Travellers issued with new advice on airports 100ml liquid rule

The rules have been in place for years (Image: izusek via Getty Images)

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has advised passengers flying from UK airports to continue adhering to the 100ml liquids rule unless informed otherwise by their airport. Edinburgh and Birmingham airports have recently permitted travellers to keep liquids in their bags during security checks, with each container allowed up to two litres.

Additionally, large electronic devices like tablets and laptops can stay in bags, thanks to new CT scanners that produce more detailed images of luggage contents.

The stringent airport security measures regarding liquids were introduced in 2006 after a thwarted terror plot aimed at detonating planes from London to the US using homemade liquid explosives. The rules required liquids to be no more than 100ml and placed in transparent plastic bags, with non-compliance being a major cause of delays at airport security.

Speaking to Times Radio on Tuesday morning, Ms Alexander said: "The rollout of this new technology, the new scanning technology, has been overseen by the individual airports themselves. They have different contracts in place, different providers."

She added: "We have a situation in Edinburgh and Birmingham where they've got the new technology in place now and so are allowing people who are travelling to take liquids in containers up to two litres through with them."

Putting liquids in a bag has been commonplace for nearly two decades (Image: Chalabala via Getty Images)

Unless stated otherwise by the airport, passengers should still adhere to the 100ml rule, she cautioned: "You should work on the basis that it is 100ml at the moment unless you have heard from your airport otherwise. And I always advise people to check in with their airlines and their airports before travelling."

She added: "At all other airports, the 100ml rule stays in place. From my perspective, if we can give some flexibility to passengers that are travelling from airports where the technology is in place, I think it would be wrong to insist that everyone should travel with the 100ml."

A deadline of December 2022 for most major airports to deploy new scanners was initially set in August 2019 by then-prime minister Boris Johnson. After the aviation industry suffered huge disruption due to coronavirus travel restrictions, in December 2022 then-transport secretary Mark Harper set a new date of June 1, 2024.

Several airports struggling to meet the deadline – largely because of supply chain delays – were granted extensions in April last year. Two months later, the 100ml limit was reimposed at airports that were complaint because of concerns about how the machines were working.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander (Image: PA)

She is optimistic about every airport eventually utilising the new technology to provide passengers with more flexibility during their travels. Several airports, including Gatwick, London City, Luton and Teesside, are still requiring passengers to adhere to the 100ml limit for liquids in bags.

Birmingham Airport had already upgraded its scanners last summer but waited for official approval before ditching the 100ml liquids rule.

Heathrow, Britain's busiest airport, has reported that most of its travellers are now experiencing new security lanes and is collaborating with the Government to finalise the rollout. It continues to advise flyers to anticipate the 100ml rule for their upcoming journeys.

A spokesperson for Birmingham Airport said: "This change will enable a faster and more efficient processing of hand luggage, following the £60 million investment in equipment and infrastructure made last year. We are pleased passengers can now benefit from this change in ruling, made by the Government in time for the summer peak."

Gordon Dewar, CEO of Edinburgh Airport, said: "A whole generation of travellers have only known the 100ml rule to be the case, so it really is a momentous day as we become the first airport in Scotland to lift the rule since it was introduced in 2006.

"The change allows more flexibility for passengers to take liquids through security, all while maintaining and improving our high safety levels through the use of 3D technology."