UK and EU Airports Reimpose 100ml Liquid Rule Due to Technical Issues with Security Scanners
Air travellers across the UK and the European Union, who were looking forward to more relaxed liquid restrictions, will need to keep their mini toiletries and small containers for a while longer. European airports have reinstated the 100ml limit on liquids in hand luggage due to a “temporary technical issue” with new security scanners, a move that mirrors a similar decision made by the UK earlier this summer.
Previously, some airports in the EU, including those in Rome and Amsterdam, had begun to ease the liquid restrictions after introducing advanced CT X-ray scanning technology. These new scanners were designed to allow larger volumes of liquids and even eliminate the need to remove laptops from bags. However, the rollout has hit a snag.
The European Commission announced in late July that the 100ml limit would be reinstated, citing the need to address unspecified technical issues with the new scanners. Reports suggest that these scanners may have struggled with accurately identifying certain liquid containers, prompting the precautionary move.
This development has been met with criticism from the Airports Council International (ACI) Europe, which called the restriction a “setback for the passenger experience” and a blow to the significant investments made by airports in the new technology. Olivier Jankovec, ACI Europe’s director general, emphasized that while security remains the top priority, the airports that had adopted the new scanners early on are now facing operational and financial penalties.
In the UK, the situation has also been complicated. The government had initially planned for all airports to remove the 100ml liquid limit by June 2024, requiring the installation of advanced scanning equipment. While smaller airports like London City and Newcastle met this deadline, larger hubs like Heathrow and Gatwick faced delays due to construction work and supply chain issues. Consequently, the UK Department for Transport reversed its decision in mid-June, requiring even those airports that had lifted the limit to reintroduce it.
Both the UK and EU authorities have emphasized that the reinstated rule is not in response to any new security threat but rather a precautionary measure to address the current technical shortcomings. Neither has provided a timeline for when the 100ml limit might be lifted again, leaving passengers to navigate the familiar restrictions for the foreseeable future.
As a result, travelers are advised to assume that the 100ml rule applies at all airports and to check the regulations at both their departure and return locations before packing.