Confused about the 100ml rule? As air passengers in Birmingham face HUGE security queues, we reveal what liquid rules apply and where – and which airports have installed the new scanners

Many British airline passengers are finding it difficult to understand the rules around taking liquids in hand luggage through airport security as new scanners are rolled out.

Long queues are forming at Birmingham Airport, where the new scanners have come into use, amid confusion over restrictions on liquids.

And on Sunday, the Department for Transport temporarily reintroduced 100ml restrictions on liquids carried in hand luggage at six more regional UK airports with next-generation scanners.

Confused? We’re not surprised. Here we explain everything…

Currently, all UK airports apply the 100ml rule for liquids, regardless of the number of scanners present.

But airports with new scanners have more flexibility in how carry-on baggage passes through security.

Many British air passengers are struggling to understand the rules around carrying liquids in hand luggage through airport security as new scanners are rolled out. Currently, all UK airports have a 100ml liquids rule, meaning liquids can be placed in hand luggage but must be separated into containers of no more than 100ml

Long queues are forming at Birmingham Airport (above), where new scanners have been rolled out, amid confusion over liquid restrictions

London City, Aberdeen, Newcastle, Leeds/Bradford, South End And Tees side airports, have all installed new 3D CT (Computed Tomography) based scanners in security halls and scrapped the 100ml rule. Their new technology allowed passengers to carry up to two litres of liquids in any size bottle in carry-on luggage and not remove them at security.

However, on June 9, these airports were ordered to revert to the 100ml liquid rule, despite the fact that next-generation security checkpoints (NGSC) were in place, which create a 3D image of what is in passengers’ luggage, allowing them to better identify objects.

However, laptops and tablets may remain in hand luggage.

A Department for Transport spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘From Sunday 9 June 2024, the 100ml restrictions on liquids will be temporarily reintroduced for passengers travelling from six regional airports where Next Generation Security Checkpoints (NGSC) are fully operational.

‘This temporary step should allow further improvements to the new checkpoint systems and will only affect a small number of passengers.

‘For most passengers, security measures remain unchanged.

‘Passengers should still check security requirements at their departure airport before departure.’

Travel expert Nicky Kelvin tested the ‘fancy’ new scanners at London City Airport in May

A passenger is pictured walking past a baggage rules explainer at London City Airport, which has installed new scanners

Passengers packing liquids in bottles larger than 100ml will be subject to manual checks at the airport and risk having these items thrown away.

At airports with new scanners, it will be up to the respective airport to determine whether travelers must pack their liquids in clear plastic bags, remove them from their luggage or pack more than one liter of liquid in multiple containers, the Ministry of Transport confirmed MailOnline Travel.

What if you travel from an airport other than the six airports targeted by the Ministry of Transport?

Some of Britain’s biggest airports have already installed some of the new checkpoints in their security halls, but none have yet changed liquidity rules.

London Stansted, Manchester And Edinburgh all have at least some of the new 3D scanners installed. However, because their new security halls are incomplete and there are still some old scanners in place, no one has changed their fluid rules.

This means you still have to adhere to the 100ml rule and other liquid restrictions that have been in place at all three airports for 18 years.

London Gatwick, East Midlands Airport And London Heathrow have not yet introduced any new scanners so their security halls cannot meet the new restrictions and the 100ml rule will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

So what happened then Birmingham Airport?

The airport had installed the new scanners but is restricting liquids to 100ml “due to an excellent legal restriction”, Nick Barton, CEO, told the BBC.

The airport blames passengers for the long queues and accuses them of improperly packing their luggage.

The problem was exacerbated, a source said The independentbecause the new scanners were wrongly identifying harmless objects, such as sunscreen, as ‘threats’.

Why was the 100ml rule introduced?

The 100ml rule was introduced in 2006 after a foiled terrorist plot to blow up planes flying from London to the US with homemade liquid bombs.

The restrictions required passengers to pack a maximum of one liter of liquid or less in bottles no larger than 100ml.

It stipulated that liquids had to be placed in a clear plastic bag and removed from the bags before being scanned at the security checkpoint.

Thanks to Nicky Kelvin from The points man for permission to use his scanner image.