Heathrow scraps 100ml liquid container limit

At Heathrow, the UK’s largest airport, passengers can leave up to two liters of liquids in their bags when passing through security following the introduction of new high-tech CT scanners.

Electronic items such as laptops can also be left in the trunk, while there is no longer a need to use clear plastic bags for liquids.

Heathrow says it is now the largest airport in the world to have new equipment rolled out across all its terminals.

However While it has become the largest airport to introduce the new high-tech scanners, it is far from the first in the UK, with Gatwick, Edinburgh and Birmingham airports having upgraded them to the two-litre limit in recent years.

At most airports in the UK, passengers can carry liquid containers of up to 100ml in their luggage without the need to remove them and use clear plastic bags.

Bristol and Belfast airports have also increased their liquid limits to two litres.

But other airports where new scanners have been installed are awaiting the green light from the Department for Transport (DfT) to increase the limit from 100ml.

A. last report By consumer group Which? It found that the sensitivity with which the new scanners were introduced meant that more baggage searches at some airports were being carried out manually after passing through those airports.

Heathrow browsers saidThis technology, which provides better screening of carry-on luggage, can serve “thousands of passengers per hour with significantly higher efficiency while maintaining high safety and security standards.”

The rule change will only apply to flights departing from Heathrow and passengers should check baggage restrictions at the airports they will be returning to before boarding their flight to the UK.

There have been a number of disruptions in the rollout of new high-tech scanners across the UK over the last few years.

Boris Johnson promised in 2019 that rules on liquids passing through security in containers not exceeding 100ml in plastic bags would be abolished by the end of 2022. The pandemic eventually made him pay for it.

In December 2022, the Conservative government promised that state-of-the-art screening equipment would be installed in security lanes by June 2024, in “the biggest change to airport security rules in decades”.

Then-Transport Minister Mark Harper said the dominance of “little toiletries” was almost over.

But as it turns out, June 2024 deadline not reached for the largest airports – although smaller airports with fewer lanes to line up had installed the scanners before that date.

Then, on the evening of Friday 13 June 2024, the government said that smaller airports that had introduced new scanners and removed 100ml liquid rules should reintroduce them. This triggered Anger at the airport operators.

The EU also made a statement Back to the 100 ml rule in July of that year.

There has been a period of inconsistency since then. Last summer the Transport Minister told passengers: Let’s assume the 100ml rule still applies.

Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye said the £1bn upgrade package would mean passengers could spend “less time preparing for security and more time enjoying their journey”.

Among the world’s 10 busiest airports, Heathrow is the only airport to remove the 100ml rule for liquid containers on international flights.

A DfT spokesperson said: “Heathrow is the latest UK airport to introduce next-generation security equipment for passengers, helping to ensure security checks remain robust and can be completed smoothly.

“Airports are responsible for the installation and operation of security equipment.

“Passengers should continue to check security requirements at airports before travelling, and should come prepared with liquids in their hand luggage in containers no larger than 100ml unless advised otherwise.”