Anyone who has flown in the past twenty years is familiar with the restriction on carrying liquids over 100ml in hand luggage—a rule that was brought in back in 2006 after a planned terrorist attack involving liquid explosives disguised as soft drinks was thwarted, reports The Mirror.
Since then, travelers have become accustomed to squeezing toiletries into miniature bottles, placing them in transparent plastic bags, and removing them at security checkpoints for inspection.
However, this long-standing rule is beginning to shift. With the implementation of advanced scanning technology, certain airports are now removing the 100ml liquid limit entirely—allowing passengers to bring larger amounts through security without taking them out of their bags, reports The Mirror.
Two major UK airports that are frequently used by Irish travelers—Birmingham and Edinburgh—have officially scrapped the liquid limit. Passengers departing from these airports can now carry liquids of up to two litres in their hand luggage, without needing to separate them at security.
This update comes after both airports received the green light from the UK’s Department for Transport to install and use next-generation 3D security scanners.
TheLiberal.ie won’t quit
Please support us with a small donation on PayPal!
Gordon Dewar, CEO of Edinburgh Airport, said: “A whole generation of travellers have only known the 100ml rule to be the case, so it really is a momentous day as we become the first airport in Scotland to lift the rule since it was introduced in 2006. The change allows more flexibility for passengers to take liquids through security, all while maintaining and improving our high safety levels through the use of 3D technology,” reports The Mirror.
Nevertheless, travelers are being urged to confirm the rules at their return airport, since not all airports have adopted the changes yet—potentially leading to confusion or hold-ups.
Gordon added: “But it is important that passengers continue to check with the situation at their return airport as not all airports will be moving away from 100ml just yet,” reports The Mirror.
Meanwhile, in Ireland, Dublin Airport has issued a key update, expressing optimism that the 100ml limit will be removed soon—though it is still awaiting official approval from regulators.
Dublin is nearing the completion of its installation of C3 scanners in both terminals. Once this process is finalized and approved, the technology will enable passengers to leave liquids and electronics inside their bags during screening, with no 100ml cap in place.
Spokesperson Graeme McQueen said earlier this summer: “The temporary EU regulation that requires liquids to come out of bags at security screening remains in place. While we’re hopeful this rule will change soon, we await confirmation from our regulators. Until then, liquids need to be 100mls or under and they need to come out of bags for screening. Our roll-out of new C3 scanners is going really well and will be totally finished in both terminals later this year, which will put us in a position to remove the 100ml limit altogether and mean that liquids can stay in bags at security screening, subject to regulatory approval and also the removal of the EU’s temporary rule,” reports The Mirror.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
