There have been lots of announcements about removing the 100ml liquid rule for cabin luggage completely across the UK, but the timelines keep changing.
We’ve got the lowdown on the latest requirements, so you can be sure what to expect when you fly.
What Are the Current Restrictions on Liquids?
The short answer is… they vary! And we’ll get to that in a moment.
But generally, since 2006, most airports worldwide have enforced a limit on the amount of liquid you can carry in your cabin luggage.
Until recently, at all UK airports, all your containers with liquids inside had to be in containers of 100ml or less, all fitting inside a 20cm x 20cm clear plastic bag, holding no more than 1 litre. You also had to remove these liquids from your bag for scanning at security.
However with recent changes in scanning technology, there are currently different restrictions at UK different airports regarding putting all your liquids into one bag and removing them from the rest of your luggage.
Why are these restrictions in place?
The liquid restrictions date back to 2006, when the Met Police foiled a terrorist plot involving liquid explosives concealed in 500ml soft drinks bottles.
The UK and US swiftly banned all liquids from hand luggage, except for baby food and milk.
A few months later this was eased and liquids were limited to 100ml containers, placed inside clear sealable bags allowed in hand luggage, that had to be removed from luggage during security checks.
This limit on the volume of liquid you could bring with you in the cabin was meant to be a temporary measure, but it’s still in place today.
Modern scanners with new 3D-technology are being rolled out across UK airports. This was actually meant to be completed by mid-2024, to remove the need for passengers to separate liquids (and electronics) from their bags for scanning at the airport.
Eventually, the goal is to completely remove the 100ml limit. However different airports are taking varying lengths of time to introduce the new technology, and this is what’s causing the different rules at different airports.
How does the new scanner work?
By using new CT X-ray technology, airport security can create 3D images of the contents of passengers’ bags to detect any security threats.
The new scanners can do this with everything still in your luggage. Bags are still placed on a conveyor belt and passed through scanning machines, but you won’t have to remove liquids or electrical items like laptops, tablets or hair styling tools.
This new technology eventually means manual hand luggage checks at airport security won’t be needed any more, making for a quicker and smoother journey through the airport.
So what is the new liquid rule at each UK airport?
Explaining the new liquid rule isn’t exactly straightforward, thanks to ongoing delays and a lack of consistency amongst airport security teams worldwide. But here we go!
New liquid allowance rule
Tthe eventual goal with the introduction of the new 3D technology, is that the 100ml liquid rule will be totally scrapped.
Instead, the limit will be extended to two litres per passenger for cabin luggage, which you can bring along in containers of any capacity. You also won’t have to put all your liquid containers into one plastic bag, or remove them from your luggage.
This is now finally in place at someUK airports including London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Edinburgh and Birmingham.
However, at lots of UK airports that don’t have the new tech up and running yet, you must still fit all your 100ml liquid containers inside one plastic bag. Some airports still want you to remove them from your bag at security – some of them let you keep them inside.
Just note that some liquids in any amount will remain banned, like flammable solids and liquids, alcohol over 70% volume and aerosol paint cans.
How long have these changes been planned for?
You might feel like you’ve heard a lot about liquid rules in the past year or so. Some UK and EU airports introduced changes in 2023 and 2024, and there was lots of excitement when the timelines were first announced. However these changes were rolled back in June 2024 by the UK, and in September 2024 by the EU.
The Department for Transport said improvements still needed to be made to ensure the scanners were working correctly to identify harmful items.
So which UK airports have the new rules?
Overall 2 litre liquid limit
At the following UK airports, you can bring up to 2 litres of liquids through security.
You can leave them inside your bag and can bring as many containers as you like, as long as in total they amount to no more than 2 litres.
If you’re bringing any metallic or double-walled containers through security, like a drinks bottle or food flask, you should ensure it’s empty when you pass through.
England |
|---|
Birmingham |
Bournemouth |
Bristol |
London Gatwick |
London Heathrow |
Scotland |
|---|
Edinburgh |
Northern Ireland |
|---|
Belfast International |
100ml limit per container
At the following UK airports, liquids must still be in containers of less than 100ml.
However you don’t have to fit them all into a plastic bag, and you can leave them in your hand luggage at security – you don’t have to remove them.
London |
|---|
London City |
London Stansted |
Luton |
Southend |
Rest of England |
|---|
East Midlands |
Liverpool |
Manchester |
Leeds Bradford |
Newcastle |
Newquay |
Southampton |
Teesside |
Scotland |
|---|
Aberdeen |
Glasgow |
Wales |
|---|
Cardiff |
At other airports, including those listed below, the new technology hasn’t been fully implemented yet. So you still need to separate your liquids into a plastic bag with a max volume of 1 litre, and remove your electronics from your luggage too.
Rest of England |
|---|
Norwich |
Scotland |
|---|
Inverness |
Source: thetimes.com
Keep updated with airport liquid rules for cabin luggage
So you’ll have to keep hold of those teeny containers a bit longer – the 100ml liquid rule hasn’t been scrapped across the UK just yet.
However, it’s great that a lot more UK airports have got the new scanning technology up and running, so you don’t have to remove liquids and electronics when you go through security. This should speed up the security process which has become really testing for a lot of passengers!
Generally, it’s safest to assume that airport security won’t be the same everywhere. Keep in mind that even if liquid rules have changed at your departure airport in the UK, your destination country might not be on the same page. So, you may have to do things differently for your outbound and inbound flights.
We will keep this article updated with the latest information on the 100ml liquid rule for cabin luggage.
