Chaos at Birmingham Airport amid confusion over new 100ml liquid rules: Passengers face long queues

Huge queues have formed outside Birmingham Airport today amid confusion over new rules for 100ml liquids and 3D baggage scanners.

Furious passengers are facing hours-long queues to get through security after the airport installed new technology This allows people to travel with liquids up to two liters in their bags.

Despite Birmingham Airport To meet the deadline for installing the new 3D scanners early this month, the previous 100ml limit is still in place, which has caused confusion.

A holidaymaker revealed on social media earlier today that he only got to his gate ‘with minutes to spare’ because he ‘begged’ to skip the security queue.

‘Travel from Birmingham Airport is an absolute mess. It has the longest security line I have ever seen in my 49 years,” he said.

‘And check-in desks open 2 hours in advance, despite tickets recommending 3 hours. If you book a holiday now, avoid it like the plague.

Furious passengers faced hours-long queues at Birmingham Airport today amid confusion over new 100ml liquids rules

Several images were posted online this morning showing long lines at the front doors of the airport

“I’ll be at the gate with a few minutes to spare. And only because I jumped out of line and argued my case. Hundreds will have missed flights. This was at four in the morning.”

What are the new rules for 100 ml liquids?

This year, passengers at Bristol and Birmingham airports will be able to carry 330ml containers through security, which is an increase on the previous 100ml rule.

Travelers can also leave liquids, laptops and electronics in their luggage as they pass through security.

New 3D technology now provides improved screening, allowing customers to keep personal items in their carry-on luggage.

Baggage rules will still vary between different airlines, so passengers are urged to check before traveling.

Birmingham Airport said in a statement that in addition to security delays with the new technology, “ongoing construction work on site” contributed to the “usually busy morning” as customers waited in “long and skinny queues”.

It is the latest example of chaos at a British airport following last month’s e-gate chaos, which left families waiting for hours without ‘food or water’ after the passport IT system collapsed ‘nationally’.

Due to the error with the e-gates, passengers were stranded in increasingly long queues in the arrivals halls and in some cases became stuck on planes.

The “major, major incident” was caused by a Wi-Fi outage that prevented a Border Patrol security database called “Border Crossing” from being updated. The system was introduced three years ago and cost taxpayers £372 million.

The fallout from the disruption continues, with many passengers expressing disbelief at the lack of an adequate backup plan, leaving some waiting in queues at the border for longer than they had spent on their flight from Lisbon.

In terms of the new security scanners, Birmingham Airport was one of the few UK airports to meet the government’s deadline to install the new technology by June 1.

Four major British airports announced yesterday that they will not be able to scrap strict rules on 100ml liquids until next year, in a further blow to holidaymakers.

London Gatwick, London Stansted, East Midlands and Manchester Airport are among those to admit they missed the deadline, revealing the scanners won’t be in place until 2025.

Birmingham and Bristol Airport both announced they would install the machines, along with Teesside, Southend, Iverness, Stornoway and Aberdeen Airport.

Some passengers have reported how many passengers missed their flights, while others reached their gate within minutes after begging to be let through

The delays come amid confusion over new 3D security scanners at Birmingham airport

A look at the huge queues outside the front doors of Birmingham Airport this morning

The current rules – which state that liquids can only be carried in containers of up to 100ml – were introduced in 2006 after police foiled a terrorist plot to bring down at least seven transatlantic flights with liquid explosives disguised as 500ml liquor bottles.

Now new fast-track 3D scanners will produce more detailed images, meaning passengers can pass through airport security with containers containing up to two liters of liquid in their hand luggage.

The new technology would reduce waiting times by allowing passengers to leave laptops and liquids in their carry-on luggage.

But despite this addition, with the old rules in place, there have been huge delays have been reported in Birmingham in recent weeks, with some revealing they have missed flights.

Al Titterington, the airport’s director of terminal operations, said: ‘Once we receive regulatory approval allowing two liters to be carried as hand luggage through Birmingham Airport, we can transform the customer experience with this world-class security screening. equipment.

“The airport looks forward to announcing when it will receive regulatory approval to carry two liters. Until then, customers should prepare as above.”

This morning, images were captured of a huge queue snaking in front of the airport door.

Concerned holidaymakers have described wait times to get through security checks as the ‘longest they have ever seen’.

It comes after weeks of misery and delays at the airport where passengers have reported missing flights.

Holidaymakers have described the queues, pictured here around the corner, as a ‘disgrace’

The new technology will reduce waiting times by allowing passengers to leave laptops and liquids in their carry-on luggage

Kevin Brown, who is who traveled from the airport today shared a photo of the queues online with the caption: ‘Arrived at 5:30 for departure at 7:45 and met this. Shameful.’

Holidaymaker Alison Woolhouse said she was told to join the huge queue outside the airport after checking in her bags. She described the scenes as “carnage.”

According to a passenger at the airport, the queue to get through security checkpoints was said to have subsided around 8am.

John O’Brien said at 7:55 this morning: ‘Here now and it’s not bad at all. Forty minutes to queue from outside to get to security. The queue hasn’t stopped moving. Staff very helpful.’

The airport completed its £60 million ‘state-of-the-art’ security hall upgrade in May after months of construction work.

It will eventually allow passengers to carry liquids up to two liters in hand luggage, but despite the work being completed, the airport said passengers will only be allowed to carry liquids up to 100ml ‘until further notice’ as ‘partial regulatory restrictions’. were in place.

A spokesperson for Birmingham Airport yesterday provided an update on the new security hall: ‘Birmingham Airport is one of the first UK airports to meet the government’s June 1 deadline for the implementation of new security standards for passenger and cabin baggage. However, certain liquidity restrictions will remain in place.

Furious passengers shared their anger online at the queues at Birmingham Airport

‘This new equipment will eventually allow liquids of up to two liters to be carried in hand luggage, although temporary restrictions will remain in place.

‘Until further notice, passengers are advised that they should only take liquids up to 100ml with them when departing from Birmingham Airport, although this can remain in hand luggage and no longer need to be in a plastic bag.

‘The airport has invested £60 million in its new larger security area. “This area has been purpose-built with simpler, streamlined equipment and will future-proof Birmingham Airport from its current 12 million passengers per year by 2024, to 18 million passengers per year by 2033.”

Today a spokesperson for Birmingham Airport said: ‘We had a usual busy morning at Birmingham Airport, with customers queuing in unfamiliar areas. The line was long and skinny, but moved quickly through the terminal.

‘Although our new security hall is operational, construction work is still ongoing on site and we are awaiting regulatory approval allowing liquids up to two liters to be carried in hand luggage.

“This construction work will continue for the foreseeable future as we redevelop the airport, which is part of our planned and previously announced £300 million investment.”