Passengers at Heathrow Airport will now face a very different security process after the airport confirmed a major change to hand luggage rules. The new system means travellers can keep liquids of up to two litres in their bags and no longer need to remove laptops or place toiletries in clear plastic bags.
The upgrade follows the full rollout of high-tech CT scanners across all Heathrow terminals. It makes Heathrow the biggest airport in the world to introduce the equipment everywhere. Other UK airports, such as Gatwick, Edinburgh and Birmingham, installed the scanners earlier. They also increased the liquid limit to two litres, but Heathrow is the first major airport to complete the transition.
The scanners produce detailed 3D images of cabin bags. Heathrow says this will help move people through security faster and reduce queues, while still meeting all safety requirements.
The airport said the new system can process “thousands of passengers an hour” and improve the overall flow through the terminals.
The rule change only applies to flights leaving Heathrow. Anyone returning to the UK must still follow the rules at the airport they are flying from, as many countries continue to enforce the 100ml rule.
The nationwide introduction of scanners has been delayed several times. In 2019, Boris Johnson promised the 100ml liquid rule would be removed by the end of 2022.
Covid delayed that plan. The Government later announced a new deadline of June 2024, calling it the biggest shake-up of airport security in decades.
But the deadline was missed. Larger airports were unable to complete the work on time, while some smaller airports did manage it.
Then, in June 2024, the Government told those smaller airports that had already scrapped the 100ml rule to bring it back, causing frustration across the industry.
The EU also reinstated the rule weeks later, adding to the confusion for passengers.
For most of last summer, the advice from ministers was to assume the old 100ml limit still applied unless stated otherwise.
Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye said the £1billion upgrade programme will make a noticeable difference for passengers.
He said people will spend “less time preparing for security and more time enjoying their journey”.
Among the world’s ten busiest airports, Heathrow is now the only one to fully remove the 100ml rule on international departures.
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