London City airport to scrap 100ml rule in biggest relaxation of security in decades
3 March 2023, 10:51
London City airport will become the first in the UK to scrap the 100ml rule for travelling with liquids.
The airport is going to upgrade its security scanners to new generation machines by the end of March, allowing passengers to take up to two litres of liquids through security.
Passengers will also not be required to remove laptops from bags.
Creams and make-up will not need to be put into separate plastic bags.
The change will come into effect ahead of the school holidays on April 3 and Easter weekend.
Robert Sinclair, the airport’s chief executive, said: “The new lanes will not only cut hassle but also queuing times, which I know passengers will love.”
All major UK airports will have the same rules in place by June 2024.
The change comes due to advancement of technology at security in airports, with new CT machines that produce a high-resolution 3-D scan of bags that can be observed from every angle by staff.
Older machines only produce a 2-D image.
Trials of the scanners have been under way at Heathrow since 2018, and at Gatwick and Birmingham airports.
Restrictions on the size of liquids were put into place in 2006 after a terror attack using liquid explosives was thwarted at Heathrow.
