The flip-flopping on liquid restrictions is causing confusion for many holidaymakers
Several airports across the UK have temporarily reintroduced the limit on liquids that can be carried in passenger’s hand luggage.
Passengers were supposed to be able to stroll through security with up to two-litre bottles of water and other liquids, rather than having to pack all their toiletries and drinks into clear plastic bags in tiny containers.
Newcastle, Leeds Bradford, London City, Aberdeen, Southend and Teesside airports had previously scrapped the 100ml liquid rule after introducing high-tech new scanners, known as Next Generation Security Checkpoints (NGSC).
As of today, however, the previous restrictions have been reintroduced at all of these airports.
The Department of Transport has said the reintroduction of the previous limits is designed to ‘enable further improvements to be made to the new checkpoint systems.’
If you’re about to head off on a summer break, don’t forget to check the current guidelines rather than assume you don’t need to worry anymore.
Speaking with BBC Breakfast, Transport Secretary Mark Harper advised passengers to check airport websites before travelling.
The changes were initially designed to allow people to take two litres rather than 100ml of liquids with them on holiday (Picture: Shutterstock)
He said: ‘For most passengers actually the rules [hadn’t] changed at all yet.’
He added that the reintroduction of the limits was a ‘temporary measure’, and that the department would ‘set out when that can be reversed in due course.’
At some of the airports, the introduction of NGSCs had required physical changes to be made to security areas and have even required floors to be reinforced.
They were supposed to enable the 100ml limit to be increased to two litres, but the rollout has encountered significant obstacles, with many of the target airports repeatedly missing deadlines to have the new systems installed.
The limit on liquids in hand luggage isn’t the only thing holidaymakers might want to check before heading out of country.
Many British travellers are still getting caught out by changes to passport rules despite the current regulations having been in place for more than six years.
Since 2018, UK passport holders have not been able to transfer 10 months of validity from their old documents to new ones.
Following Brexit, many countries in Europe now also require British citizens to have at least three to six months left on their current passports before being granted entry.
People are encouraged to check their passport validity early, as online passport renewals can take up to ten weeks to process, with postal renewals taking even longer.
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