Simon Calder explains new airport rules

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Under the new airport plans, travellers will be able to take up to two litres of liquid on the plane. However, the changes are unlikely to be brought in before 2024.

Simon told the BBC: “If I talk to any of the passengers passing through Gatwick Airport this morning, they would say the worst part of the journey is the airport security check.

“You’ve got to have all your liquids ready, less than 100ml, in a clear plastic resealable bag.

“Of course you’ve got to get your laptop out and put that in a separate tray, it’s all a tremendous faff and it’s the last thing you want.

“People, quite understandably if they haven’t flown for a long time, might forget what the rules are and that all slows things down.”

If travellers forget the rules, their bag will need to be searched which can make queues longer for other passengers.

Simon said: “What the hope is that by the middle of 2024, big airports like Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Manchester, Luton, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Birmingham, Bristol and Belfast International at the very least will have fancy new CT scanning machines.

“These are the same as used in hospitals and they can look at the contents of your bag without you having to remove everything.

“They can look at it in three dimensions, they can work out if there’s anything dangerous in there.

“And the idea is, it smooths everything. It makes the passenger flow faster and it just makes the whole business of air travel a few degrees more bearable.”

The Government has set a deadline of June 2023 for most UK airports to install the 3D security scanners.

Passengers will then be able to take two litres of liquid through security and won’t need to remove electrical items from their bag.

The current limits have been in place since 2006 and were introduced after a terrorist plot planning to use the liquids was foiled.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the new technology would “improve the passenger experience, and most importantly detecting potential threats”.

Christopher Snelling, policy director at the Airport Operators Association, said: “It will make the journey through the UK’s airports easier and air travel itself more pleasant.”

Some airports in the USA already use the technology, including Atlanta and Chicago O’Hare.

Until the rules change, travellers will still need to pack their liquids in a clear plastic bag and are limited to 100ml.

Current liquid restrictions (GOV.UK)

• containers must hold no more than 100ml
• containers must be in a single, transparent, resealable plastic bag, which holds no more than a litre and measures approximately 20cm x 20cm
• contents must fit comfortably inside the bag so it can be sealed
• the bag must not be knotted or tied at the top
• you’re limited to 1 plastic bag per person
• you must show the bag at the airport security point

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