Government to relax the rules on airport liquids from summer 2024
Passengers will no longer need to consider how much toothpaste they’re bringing aboard planes as the UK Government is relaxing the rules on airport liquids from the summer of 2024.
The limit will be increased from the current 100 ml to up to 2 litres.
Putting toiletries into clear plastic bags and removing laptops and tablets from carry-on luggage when going through security checkpoints are also included in the biggest shake-up of aviation security for 16 years.
“The tiny toiletry has become a staple of airport security checkpoints, but that’s all set to change,” transport secretary Mark Harper said today.
Harper has called on major UK airports to install the latest screening technologies – which rely on 3D imagery to analyse the content of bags – by June 2024.
Despite being announced by Boris Johnson in 2019, the technology’s rollout suffered several setbacks as a result of Covid.
The system is currently being trialled at Heathrow, Gatwick and Birmingham airports.
Airport operators hailed the announcement as “a great step forward for UK air travel.”
“It will make the journey through the UK’s airports easier and air travel itself more pleasant,” said Christopher Snelling, policy director at trade body the Airport Operators Association (AOA).
Airport rules on liquids and laptops were initially introduced as a temporary measure in the aftermath of the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot.
Terrorists conspired to take down several passenger flights from the UK to North America through the use of liquid explosives inside soft drinks.