Airport security checks are one of the most tedious parts of travelling. Most times, you’ve got to pour out your water bottle, take off shoes, belts and jewellery, remove electrics and decant all your liquids into a little plastic bag. The good news is that slowly but surely, UK airports are beginning to reduce the need for all that faff, thanks to some new tech.
Brand new airport scanners, intended to speed up the security process, were announced way back in 2018. They were originally meant to be installed at every UK airport by June 2024, but very few airports actually met that deadline. And many of the ones that did get the machines up and running on time had to make a U-turn.
But finally, more and more UK airports have successfully had the machines installed, meaning there are new hand luggage rules you need to know about next time you catch a flight. These are all the details.
What are the new hand luggage rules?
It’s hoped that the new rules will help passengers get through security quicker. The new CT scanners can create a 3D X-ray reconstruction of the contents of your bag, meaning that you don’t have to take anything out of it. That means that liquids can stay in your hand luggage and you don’t need to put them in a separate clear bag. There’s also no longer a need to take electrical items like your laptop, camera, phone or tablet out.
However, the 100ml limit for each individual liquid still applies. That includes any gels, pastes, lotions, make-up, snow globes and even foodstuff like yogurt and soft cheese.
Which airports have new security rules?
These are the airports where passengers can now keep liquids and electricals in their bags.
- Belfast International
- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Edinburgh
- London Gatwick – find out more here.
- Leeds Bradford
- Luton
- Newcastle
- Southend
- Teesside
But remember: airports on the side may not have the tech in place yet, so you still may need to bring a clear plastic bag for when you travel back to the UK.
When do the rules come into effect?
The new rules are already in effect at all the airports mentioned above. The most recent place to implement them was Gatwick Airport, which removed restrictions from Monday, April 7.
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