European airports reintroduce 100ml limit on liquids following issues with new scanners
1 September 2024, 14:06
European airports have returned to stricter cabin bag rules as the 100ml limit on liquids in hand baggage is reinstated.
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The EU Commission decided to re-impose the longstanding rule at the end of July following a temporary technical issue rather than "in response to any new threat", but the restrictions came into effect on Sunday.
The 100ml limit on every individual container will apply once again in airports which had been using new technology to allow passengers to bring higher volumes of liquid.
The decision applies to EU airports as well as Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Norway (EEA).
It comes after plans to lift the 100ml rule across UK airports by June this year were delayed in April.
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C3 scanners had already been deployed by airports in a limited number of countries, including Germany, Ireland and Italy, according to the Europe branch of the Airports Council International (ACI).
The restrictions were originally in place because traditional security equipment, like X-ray machines, cannot effectively detect liquid explosives.
The EU Commission said information had indicated the new scanners' performance "did not meet the standard for which it had been approved".
Major UK airports were believed to have been granted an extension for installing the new scanning technology after they were unable to meet the 1 June deadline.
The 12-month extension was issued by the government on a case-by-case basis and is expected to be enough time for them all to complete the work.
It is not the first time the change has been delayed after it was originally set to come into force in December 2022.
