Travel chaos at UK airport amid confusion over 100ml liquid rules

Britain’s Birmingham airport experienced major delays this weekend due to confusion over new rules on liquids in hand luggage.

Photos on social media showed queues stretching outside the airport as early as 5am. Some passengers said they had to wait up to two hours to get through security.

This travel chaos comes less than a week after new restrictions were introduced on liquids in carry-on luggage. Several UK airports planned to increase the limit from 100ml to two liters with the introduction of a new scanning system.

But the installation of this system has been delayed, the 100ml rule is still in place and passengers are confused about what they can take in their hand luggage.

Why is there confusion about liquidity rules in the UK?

The British government originally allowed a handful of airports to increase the limit on liquids passengers can carry to two liters after installing new CT scanners.

It would mean that from June 1, the limit of 100 ml of liquid would no longer apply at these airports. But many, including Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester, missed the mark in installing new scanners due to logistical errors.

Others who met the deadline had already lifted the 100ml liquid rule.

Now the UK Department for Transport has said the ban will be temporarily reintroduced at six airports: London City, Aberdeen, Newcastle, Leeds/Bradford, Southend and Teesside.

Airports say the sudden change has left many passengers confused about what they can take with them hand luggage during one of the busiest times of the year.

Trade body Airport Operators Association (AOA) said the latest changes had been made “with very little notice”.

“It has also left airport operators in a challenging position, with very limited time to prepare for the additional staff and wider resources this will require, and there is no clear idea of ​​when this issue will be resolved,” chief executive said Karen Dee said in a statement. rack.

Birmingham Airport is one of the travel hubs that has been upgraded to the new scanners, but has had to enforce the 100ml rule.

The company said the use of its new high-tech equipment is limited due to an “exquisite regulatory restriction” which has resulted in liquids being limited to 100ml. However, passengers can still keep their liquids in their bags while going through security.

“Despite the 100ml rule still being in place, we have continued to have non-compliant bags of liquids that exceed the allowable quantity, which has led to inefficiencies in our equipment and resulted in extended queue time for customers,” it said in a statement.

The airport added that a non-compliant bag containing liquids above the 100ml limit could add up to 20 minutes to each passenger’s journey through security.

Why does the 100ml liquid rule apply at airports?

Since 2006, airline passengers around the world have been allowed to carry liquids of up to 100 ml in their hand luggage.

The rule was introduced after British police launched a… terrorist plan to detonate liquid explosives disguised as soft drinks on a series of transatlantic flights.

The conspirators planned to assemble and detonate a device mid-flight, injecting hydrogen peroxide and other substances into 500 ml soft drink bottles, leaving the caps closed. If the regular bleach is mixed with other ingredients at a specific strength, it can become explosive.

Had the plot been successful, it is believed that it would have been far deadlier than the September 11 attacks. It is said to have targeted multiple flights from Britain to at least five American and two Canadian flights airports.

Immediately after the discovery, hand luggage was completely banned on planes as a precaution. This was later relaxed after tests were carried out to determine what amount of liquid was safe to carry, and a 100ml container limit was introduced.

Experts found that it was unrealistic to mix the smaller containers into a larger one to create a highly damaging explosive on board. They determined that this would either fail or explode prematurely, injuring the perpetrator but causing little to no damage to the aircraft.

Passengers are now allowed to take a maximum of one liter of liquid through security in containers of up to 100 ml. These must be separated into a clear, resealable bag and removed from carry-on baggage when passing through security scanners.

Why does the 100ml liquid rule end?

After 18 years, the 100ml liquid rule will soon be abolished in some countries thanks to cutting-edge new products security scanners.

Using computed tomography (CT) X-ray technology, similar to that used in the medical field, they provide a clear 3D image of what is in the passenger compartment. Bags.

The images can be rotated 360 degrees and zoomed in, allowing for in-depth analysis, similar to ‘digitally unpacking the bag’, explains device manufacturer Smiths Detection. This is an improvement over the current 2D imaging used at most airports.

According to the UK Department for Transport, the scanners also use advanced threat detection algorithms that can detect explosives – including liquids – and other hazards.

Existing 2D scanners can distinguish between organic and inorganic materials and display items in different colors, but CT scanners go one step further.

With help of AI technologyAccording to the equipment manufacturer, they can distinguish liquids – such as water, hydrogen peroxide or strong alcohol – and provide a more complete view of the electronics Sens-Tech.

“The latest screening technology being deployed can detect explosive substances in larger quantities,” a spokesperson for the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) further explained.

If an item appears suspicious, the bag will be further checked by security officers, who will inspect it for prohibited items. The new scanners promise fewer false alarms, which will hopefully mean a reduction in unnecessary baggage checks.

Will removing the 100ml liquid rule make flying less safe?

Removing the 100 ml liquid rule does not make flying less safe. On the contrary, the new scanners will improve security, the newspaper said Britain‘s Ministry of Transport.

This is because they provide more detailed images of what people are carrying, making it easier for them to detect potential threats and prohibited items.

It will also streamline the airport experience, reduce security checkpoint times and make traveling more enjoyable useful for passengers.

An additional advantage is the reduction of plastic wasteas passengers forego the use of dozens of disposable toilet bottles in favor of larger containers.

The new technology could also save passengers money by allowing them to bring water and other drinks from outside, rather than having to rely on expensive airport shops.

When will the 100ml liquid rule be abolished in Europe?

A bit European airports have already installed the new CT scanners.

Terminal 1 of Italy’s Rome Fiumicino Airport has had the scanners since March. Terminal 1 of Milano Linate and Milano Malpensa have had them since February.

In SpainNew airport security rules came into effect on February 1, 2024, but many airports have yet to install the updated carry-on scanners. It is expected that this will be gradually implemented in the coming months and years.

Barcelona’s El Prat and Madrid Barajas airports say they hope to roll out the new system in the summer of 2024. Malaga plans to introduce the system from 2025, and Gran Canaria, Tenerife South, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Alicante, Ibiza, Bilbao, Menorca and Valencia from 2026.

Munich Airport in Germany has been gradually renovated since the beginning of the year and should be ready in 2025. Frankfurt has fast lanes that use the scanners in some terminals, and more will be added by the end of the year.

Even if an airport has introduced new scanners, this does not automatically mean that you can take larger liquids with you. Once the machines are installed, the 100ml rule will be phased out over the next two years. It is worth checking the website of the airport you are traveling through to avoid confusion or delays.

Until then, passengers may not experience the time-saving benefit of the new technology. But ultimately, the simplified system could help airports handle 30 percent more passengers per hour, Sens-Tech said.

Do airports outside Europe have CT scanners?

Even with the new measures in place, passengers are advised to check the rules for the countries they are traveling through or returning from, as many destinations have yet to implement this new technology.

If there are no 3D scanners installed at the airport you are returning from, you may be forced to throw away liquids over 100ml in your luggage. hand luggage.

Only a handful of European airports have plans to install 3D scanners. Elsewhere, some US airports such as Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare and LaGuardia in New York have started using the new technology.

However, TSA says it will take many years to implement the technology system-wide in the US, meaning the 100ml rule (known there as 3-1-1) will remain in place to ensure transport is safe.

Qatar’s Hamad International Airport in Doha has also beefed up its security with the new scanners.

How do 3D airport scanners affect electrical appliances?

Tablets and laptops currently must be removed from carry-on luggage before passing through security scanners at most airports.

CT scanners will eliminate the need for this, as they make it possible to study electrical devices in detail while they are still in a case.

Film camera enthusiasts have noted that the increased radiation emitted by the new scanners could cause damage analog film, which leads to fogging and color deterioration. Some Reddit users say they ask to have their film examined by hand, although this is at the discretion of airport staff.