UK airports to possibly lift liquid, laptop restrictions in 2024

• 

Hi-tech 3D scanners may be a lifesaver for frequent travelers as they may be the reason UK airports ban security restrictions on liquids and laptops in airport hand luggage in 2024. According to the BBC citing a source, the decision on installing them by that time is yet to be made.

Although the new technology has been experimented at London's Heathrow since 2017, for now, liquids in the cabin or carry-on bags are restricted to 100ml and are placed in a transparent plastic bag when passing through airport security checkpoints.

The Times stated that UK airports are given until mid-2024 to install the advanced scanners, which work similarly to CT scanners, and as reviews are underway by ministers, a formal announcement is expected in the next few weeks. 

The scanner allows security staff to zoom in and view a bag’s contents and inspect it in detail by rotating the images. US airports such as Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, Georgia, and O’Hare in Chicago have been employing the use of scanners for a number of years now. 

This could be a massive help to both airport staff and passengers since one of the biggest causes of delays result when passengers do not comply with the carry-on rules to remove the liquids from their bags or travel with large bottles of creams, perfumes, and liquids. 

Heathrow’s Chief Executive, John Holland-Kaye, told the Times, “We are slowly rolling them out," adding, "We have just started the expansion of the security area in Terminal 3 which will have more CT scanners and have a deadline of mid-2024 from the [Department for Transport]. By then the normal passenger experience will be that liquids stay in bags.”

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, told Sky News it was “off the back of some commentary from one of the bosses from an airport." He continued to say, “And I am afraid you’ll know our usual practice on security matters is we don’t comment on security matters. I think that is quite important."

“And I am now responsible for setting the security regime for our aviation sector. So if there are any changes coming, we will set those out for people in due course... but at the moment the regime is as it is with the strict limits on the liquids people can take on planes.”