ANOTHER UK airport has relaxed the strict liquid and electronic rules – in time for the Christmas holidays.
Cardiff Airport passengers no longer have to remove their liquids from their hand luggage when travelling through security.
Instead, they can be left in the bag with the new Next Generation Security scanners being rolled out.
Electronics such as laptops and tablets can also stay in luggage at security under the new rules.
The airport’s chief executive, Spencer Birns, said: “This state-of-the-art facility is a significant investment for the growth and future development of our National Airport.”
The new rules are a welcome boost for passengers travelling through the Welsh airport, which also welcomed its first flights with PLAY Airlines back in October to Iceland.
Liquids must still be under 100ml, however, despite plans to also relax this rule.
New CT scanners being introduced across UK airports would allow people to travel with up to two litres of liquids.
Airports such as London City, Leeds Bradford, Southend and Teesside had all installed the new scanners in preparation of the dropping of the 100ml liquid rule.
However, the government rolled back the rules earlier this summer, citing it as a ‘temporary move’.
A statement from the Department of Transport said at the time: “From 0001 on Sunday 9th June 2024, 100ml restrictions on liquids will temporarily be reintroduced for passengers travelling from six regional airports where Next Generation Security Checkpoints (NGSC) are in full operation.
“This temporary move is to enable further improvements to be made to the new checkpoint systems and will only affect a small number of passengers.”
It isn’t clear when this will be lifted.
The confusion over the liquids rules saw as much as £292million worth of toiletries confiscated over the summer.
And Birmingham Airport said many as 15 per cent of passengers are being stopped at security because they think the 100ml liquid rule has been scrapped.
The strict liquid rule – introduced in 2006 following a foiled terror plot using home-made liquid bombs – was also reintroduced across Europe earlier this year for similar reasons.
The Sun’s Head of Travel Lisa Minot has explained how the new scanners will change the way Brits travel through UK airports.
“The new generation of CT scanners will be a huge boost to passengers flying out of UK airports.
“Laptops and other electronic devices can stay in your luggage and there’s no need to stick to the current 100ml liquid restriction that has been in place for the last 18 years.
“Eventually, you’ll be able to take up to two litres of liquids without having to remove them from your hand luggage.
“But the scanners are a huge logistical nightmare for airports who have to install the new machines while still processing large numbers of passengers via the old ones.
“But it’s worth bearing in mind that not all airports across the globe have the equipment.
“You may well be able to fly out with liquids over 100ml – but if the airport you fly home from doesn’t have them yet you could find yourself coming a cropper.
“While we transition over the next couple of years you’ll need to make sure you’re aware of the arrangements in any airport you fly through.”
Small airports in Munich, Rome and Frankfurt were able to relax the 100ml liquid rules for a short period due to new CT scanners.
However, the rules were brought back in by the EU just weeks later.
