Rules limiting the amount of liquids allowed on planes and requiring electronics to be removed from carry-on baggage at security will change.
The government has set a deadline of June 2024 for major UK airports to install new security technology that will make obsolete the rule of bringing no more than 100ml of liquid in a container and remove large electronics such as laptops and tablets from hand luggage before going through scanners.
New regulations introduced by the Department for Transport remove parts of EU law governing how new technologies and processes can be applied, allowing new technology to be installed, a spokesman said.
The ministry said major airports such as Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester and Birmingham would be subject to the deadline.
The current rules will remain in effect until then.
After a terrorist threat in 2006, the volume of liquids is limited to 100 ml and must be displayed in a clear plastic bag. The rule aims to stop liquid explosives from being carried on planes.
But this will no longer be a requirement and passengers can carry up to 2 liters of liquid through security.
Most major airports will roll out the technology next year, Transport Minister Mark Harper said.
“By 2024, the UK’s major airports will have the latest security technology that will reduce waiting times, improve the passenger experience and most importantly detect potential threats,” he added.
The department warned customers to check the rules for returning liquids at any airport they may travel through or transfer.
“Many destinations may not have implemented this new technology,” it said.
New 3D security scanners have been tested at some airports.
Those trials demonstrated the effectiveness of the screening equipment, the department said.
The new scanners use CT X-ray technology to provide a 3D image of the contents of passengers’ bags and deploy “highly advanced threat detection algorithms”, it added.
They are already in use at airports such as Schiphol in Amsterdam.
Responding to the announcement, the Airport Operators Association (AOA) said: “This investment in next-generation security by the UK’s airport operators will provide a major step forward for UK air transport, matching the best in class worldwide.”
“This will make traveling through UK airports easier and air travel more enjoyable,” said AOA policy director Christopher Snelling.
Airport finances have been hit by COVID-19-related lockdowns, with passenger numbers still not back to pre-pandemic levels at airports such as Heathrow.
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