UK Airport to Relax Liquids and Laptops Rule by June 2024

Beginning in June 2024, travelers will be able to carry liquids and laptops past UK airport security.

The government will require UK airports to install new security equipment that will allow passengers to keep tablets, laptops, and liquids in cabin baggage and carry up to two liters of liquid in hand luggage.

The current regulations, which were put in place in 2006 to combat the terrorist threat posed by liquid explosives, limit liquids to 100ml and require that they be contained in a clear plastic bag that must be removed at security.

Mark Harper, the secretary of transport, said: “The tiny toiletry has become a staple of airport security checkpoints, but that’s all set to change. I’m streamlining cabin bag rules at airports while enhancing security.

“By 2024, major airports across the UK will have the latest security tech installed, reducing queuing times, improving the passenger experience, and most importantly detecting potential threats.

“Of course, this won’t happen straight away – this is going to take two years to be fully implemented. Until then, passengers must continue following the existing rules and check before travelling.”

The new deadline was set in response to many experiments that have been carried out at airports since 2018 and shown the value of modern CT X-ray scanning technology. Threat identification algorithms are used, and a 3D image of the contents of travellers’ baggage is provided.

The apparatus is currently utilized frequently at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.

The policy director for the Airport Operators Association, Christopher Snelling, continued: “This investment in next generation security by the UK’s airport operators will provide a great step forward for UK air travel, matching the best in class around the world.

“It will make the journey through the UK’s airports easier and air travel itself more pleasant.”