Confused by the 100ml rule? As air travelers face HUGE security queues in Birmingham, we reveal what fluid rules apply and where

• The government has re-introduced the 100ml liquid rule at six regional airports
• Eighteen years ago, the 100 ml rule was introduced after a foiled terrorist plot
• Passengers are accused of long waits due to improper packing of bags
• READ MORE: Air France’s first class cabin vs its new business class

Many UK air travelers are struggling to understand the rules around taking liquids into hand luggage through airport security as new scanners are introduced.

Long queues are forming at Birmingham Airport, which has launched new scanners, amid confusion over liquid restrictions.

And on Sunday, the Department for Transport temporarily re-introduced the 100ml limit on liquids carried in cabin baggage at six other regional UK airports with next-generation scanners.

Confused? We are not surprised. Here we explain everything…

Currently, all UK airports use the 100ml liquid rule, regardless of scanners installed.

However, airports with new scanners have more flexibility in how cabin bags move through security.

London City, Aberdeen, Newcastle, Leeds/Bradford, Southend and Teesside airports have all installed new 3D CT (computed tomography) scanners in security halls and scrapped the 100ml rule. Thanks to their new technology, passengers could take up to two liters of liquid in any bottle size in their hand luggage without having to remove it at security.

However, on June 9, these airports were ordered to return to the 100ml liquid rule despite the operation of next-generation security checkpoints (NGSCs), which create a 3D image of what is inside passengers’ luggage, allowing them to better identify items.

However, laptops and tablets may remain in hand luggage.

Passengers should continue to check security requirements at the airport of departure before travelling A spokesman for the Ministry of Transport

A Department for Transport spokesman told MailOnline: “From Sunday 9 June 2024, 100ml liquid restrictions will be temporarily re-introduced for passengers traveling from six regional airports where Next Generation Security Checkpoints (NGSC) are in full operation.

“This temporary move is to allow further improvements to the new checkpoint systems and will only affect a small number of passengers.

“For most passengers, security measures will remain unchanged.

“Passengers should continue to check security requirements at the airport of departure before travelling.”

UK AIRPORT LIQUID RULES

UK Airports and Scanner Status:

• Birmingham – new scanners / 100ml rule
• Leeds Bradford – new scanners / 100ml rule
• London City – new scanners / 100ml rule
• Aberdeen – new scanners / 100ml rule
• Southend – new scanners / 100ml rule
• Teesside – new scanners / 100ml rule
• Newcastle – new scanners / 100ml rule
• Gatwick – old scanners / 100ml rule
• Stansted – new scanners / 100ml rule
• East Midlands – old scanners / 100ml rule
• Manchester – new scanners / 100ml rule
• Heathrow – old scanners / 100ml rule
• Edinburgh – new scanners / 100ml rule

Current fluid rules for airports with new scanners:

Bottles should not be larger than 100 ml

Airports check the total amount of liquid (up to two liters) and whether it is necessary to remove it from the bags or store it in transparent bags

UK airports without new scanners operating 2006 fluid rules:

Bottles/containers must not be larger than 100 ml

Liquids must be under one liter in total

Passengers must remove liquids from their carry-on baggage during the security check

Store liquids in clear plastic bags

New rules for liquids (to be introduced in the future):

Liquids may remain in checked baggage

Bottles can be of any size and stored freely inside the bags

Liquids can be up to two liters in total

Passengers who pack liquids in bottles over 100 ml will be subject to manual inspection at the airport and risk discarding these items.

At airports with the new scanners, whether passengers are required to pack their liquids in clear plastic bags, take them out of their luggage or can pack more than one liter of liquids in multiple containers depends on each airport, the Department for Transport confirmed to MailOnline. Travel.

What if you are traveling from an airport other than the six targeted by the Department for Transport?

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A number of major UK airports have already installed some of the new checkpoints in security halls – but none have yet changed their fluid rules.

London Stansted, Manchester and Edinburgh all have at least some new 3D scanners in place. However, since their new security halls are incomplete and some of the old scanners still remain, none have changed their fluid rules.

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

London Gatwick, East Midlands Airport and London Heathrow they have not yet introduced any new scanners, so their security halls are unable to comply with the new restrictions and the 100ml rule remains in place for the foreseeable future.

So what happened in Birmingham AIRPORT?

The airport installed new scanners but limited liquids to 100ml “due to an exceptional regulatory constraint”, chief executive Nick Barton told the BBC.

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

The problem has been exacerbated, a source told The Independent, with the new scanners incorrectly identifying innocent items such as sunscreen as “threats”.

Why was the 100 ml 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 restriction required passengers to pack up to one liter of liquids or less in bottles of no more than 100ml.

Liquids, as stipulated, had to be sealed in a clear plastic bag and removed from the bags before being scanned at security.

Thanks Nicky Kelvin at The Points Guy for permission to run its image scanner.