Claire Reid
UK airports are set to scrap the 100ml liquid rule - meaning the days of having to buy an overpriced bottle of water are nearly over, guys.
The new rules set to be introduced would mean passengers travelling through UK airports would no longer have to keep their hand luggage liquids to 100ml or less and they won’t have to remove certain items - such as liquids or laptops - from their bags as the whole lot will be scanned as is, The Times reports.
The rule change, set to be in place by 2024, will see luggage pass through special CT scanners which will show airport security staff a 3D image of the bag’s content’s rather than a traditional 2D one.
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It’s hoped the new rules will help to drastically cut the wait times at airport security, which means more time in the airport bar - winner.
As you might remember, numerous UK airports were recently slammed for obscenely long wait times at security, with some people even missing their flights due to delays in security.
John Holland-Kay, boss of Heathrow airport, told The Times: “We are slowly rolling them out. We have just started the expansion of the security area in Terminal 3 which will have more CT scanners and have a deadline of mid-2024 from the DFT.
“By then the normal passenger experience will be that liquids stay in bags.”
It will also mean you won’t need to stow your liquids in a special clear bag.
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The new security scanning equipment is being tested at Heathrow, Gatwick and Birmingham - and other major UK airports have been told they must replace their older screening technology in full by summer 2024.
The 100ml rule was introduced all the way back in 2006 and was believed to have been a temporary measure at the time.
It was introduced after authorities intercepted a terrorist plot to down several flights departing from Heathrow using liquid explosives disguised as soft drinks.
An aviation source stressed that no changes are set to come into play just yet - and for the time being the 100ml rule still applies.
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They told The Times: “As the scanners become more commonplace it will be the case that in some lanes passengers are told not to take stuff out their bags while in other lanes they will still need to.
“The 100ml rule will stay in place until the rollout of the new technology is complete and is a decision for the DfT.”