Passengers at major airports in the UK will continue to face limits on the amount of liquid they can carry in their hand luggage this summer after a deadline for new scanners was extended. The government has allowed airports to miss the latest roll-out date for installing scanners to end the 100ml liquid limit. Airports such as London Gatwick, Heathrow, and Manchester are not expected to have the technology in place in time for 1 June and the delay could last for up to a year. This means that passengers may have to continue removing liquids and laptops from hand luggage until June 2025.
The delay has sparked frustration and uncertainty among travelers. The initial deadline to deliver the changes in all airports throughout the UK had been set to June 2024, which would have freed passengers from the 100ml liquid rule in time for summer. The new scanners, designed to easily detect prohibited items in hand luggage, were intended to make air travel safer by providing airport staff with a 3D image of the bag’s contents. However, the slow installation of this technology means that Britons will be forced to comply with old hand luggage rules for another year.
Smaller airports such as Teesside, London City, Birmingham, and Newcastle have new security screening technology in place, and expect to go live on time, providing some relief for passengers. Nevertheless, the overall frustration is palpable, with the decision to extend the deadline causing uncertainty and disappointment among those who were looking forward to the convenience of carrying more than 100ml of liquids on flights from major airports.
The delays in the installation of new scanners at major UK airports highlight the challenges and complexities of implementing enhanced security measures in the aviation industry. As airports work to meet the new deadlines and implement the advanced scanning technology, passengers will need to endure continued inconvenience when traveling through larger airports, reinforcing the importance of staying informed about security regulations and guidelines to avoid potential delays and frustration.
