Grappling with tiny bottles in a see-through bag at security when travelling could soon be a thing of the past as more airports gear up to scrap the 100ml liquids rule.
The move will be a game-changer for travellers, as the current rules seriously limit the amount of liquids and lotions you can take in your hand luggage – and who hasn’t got to security at least once to find a forgotten bottle lurking?
Not to mention the extortionate cost of some mini toiletries, or the hassle of buying them in duty-free.
It’s all thanks to new technology, as advanced scanners can check your luggage and liquids, which should help speed up journeys through security, too.
So when can we load up with full-sized toiletries, and will we still have to separate out our phones, iPads and laptops too?
Here’s what you need to know.
When will the rule change?
Some airports have already done it.
Earlier this month, London City Airport became the first in the capital to ditch the 100ml liquids rule in hand luggage after bringing in high-tech CT scanners.
Passengers don’t have to separate out their phones, tablets and tech, either.
But it was Teeside Airport that became the UK’s first to scrap it, back in March.
The new limit on liquids, gels, pastes and lotions in hand luggage at these airports rises from 100ml to two litres per container, which is more than enough as no one needs to lug a two litre bottle of shampoo through security.
In Ireland, Shannon Airport now permits liquids of any size to be carried.
The government has set a deadline of June 2024 for all UK airports to install and use these high-tech scanners, and Gatwick Airport has confirmed it is trialing the technology now, in time to meet that deadline.
Edinburgh Airport is also believed to be doing so.
Other London airports and those around the country are expected to be working towards that date.
So for now, unless you’re travelling from City, Teeside or Shannon, keep to the 100ml limit – and be aware that if you’re transiting through overseas airports, they may have different rules. It’s also worth checking the allowances at your departure airport for your return journey.
When and why was the rule brought in?
The 100ml liquids rule was brought in back in 2006, after a terrorist plot was foiled by police.
It involved plans to take home-made mixtures of chemicals hidden in Lucozade and Oasis bottles on to a series of US-bound flights from London.
The terrorists planned to mix these to create ‘liquid bombs’ and blow up at least seven transatlantic flights from London, killing more than 1,500 people. They were arrested days before attempting a practise run.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner John McDowall, then head of Scotland Yard’s counter terrorism command, said the convicted men intended to commit ‘mass murder on an unimaginable scale’.
The new rules on hand luggage were introduced on August 10, 2006 resulted in hundreds of cancelled flights, long delays and queues at UK airports.
At first, no hand luggage was allowed on planes at all, in a move spelled out by the then Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander, but this was then relaxed and 100ml liquids were permitted.
‘What followed at airports was chaos. At Heathrow airport British Airways cancelled scores of flights and other airlines also had to axe services as huge queues built up.’
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