Late last week, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced the so-called “liquid rule” would be reintroduced at six UK airports – the six that have already completed their expensive security upgrades that were supposed to bring to an end the rule requiring passengers to carry liquids of only up to 100ml in their hand luggage.
The airports affected are London City, Teesside, Aberdeen, Leeds-Bradford, Newcastle and Southend. The DfT said the measure would only affect “a small number of passengers” and added it didn’t come in response “to a specific threat".
The government had initially set airports a June 2024 deadline to complete their upgrades; however, it became clear in the spring most major airports would not be ready to make the transition in full, risking confusion not just for passengers at a single airport, but across the country with different rules in operation at different airports.
"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," said a DfT spokesperson. “For most passengers, security measures will remain unchanged. Passengers should continue to check security requirements with their departure airport before travelling."
Karen Dee, chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, said the chopping and changing of the rules so close to the summer peak was far from ideal.
"These latest changes announced on Friday, [and] instigated with very little notice, have created uncertainty for passengers just as airports enter their busiest periods of the year,” she said.
Dee continued: “It has also put airport operators in a challenging position, with very limited time to prepare for the additional staffing and wider resources that this will require, and no clear idea of when this issue will be resolved.
“Airports are doing all that they can to mitigate the impact of this for passengers. We ask all passengers please bear with us and ensure that liquids are carried in containers no larger than 100ml, until advised otherwise.”
In December 2022, the government gave airports until early June 2024 to install next generation scanners that would allow passengers to carry liquids in excess of 100ml in their hand luggage and to leave them in their bags while they cleared security, along with laptops and tablets.
However, in April, the government gave some airports extensions of up to a year after realising the majority of them – including the biggest and busiest – would not meet the 1 June deadline.
Ministers have threatened airports with “serious financial penalties” if they don’t stick to the new timetable.
