UK government issues new airport guidance on 100ml liquid rule as travellers point out major flaw

The UK government has issued new airport advice when it comes to the steady removal of 100ml liquid limits in hand luggage.

First announced back in 2022, the government said it was overhauling how we get through security across every airport in the United Kingdom.

For almost 20 years, Brits flying out of the country with hand luggage have been forced to whack all their liquids in 20cm by 20cm plastic bags, with each container capped at 100ml in size.

Any bigger than this, or have too much to fit in the tiny plastic bags, and you'll be forced to bin where appropriate. It's why many are pushing one genius airport to get all your liquids on the plane that's totally above board.

Although brought in for the right reasons following a foiled terrorist plot to blow up airplanes that were flying from London to the USA with homemade liquid bombs, that sentiment is lost during the frustration of security queues that can take long as it is without the additional 30 minute wait per bag being checked.

Security queues are set to be cut right down from 2025 across every single UK airport with the introduction of Next Generation Security Checkpoint (NGSC) Scanners.

Once in place, they'll mean passengers can fly with up to two litres of liquids in their hand luggage. You also won't need to take it out your bag at the security check point. The same applies to electrical goods such as laptops and iPads.

New airport security scanners are slowly being rolled out across the UK (Getty Stock Images)

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the scanners will improve the 'passenger experience and most importantly detecting potential threats'.

Christopher Snelling, policy director at the Airport Operators Association, which represents UK airports, said the scanners are a 'great step forward for UK air travel, matching the best in class around the world'.

Currently three UK airports have the new scanners in place - those being Teesside, Aberdeen International and London City airports.

The rest will follow suit in a staggered implementation, ready for the 2025 summer season.

But fresh guidance has been issued by the Department for Transport (DfT) following murmurs around exactly what people are meant to do when travelling back to the UK.

Electronics and liquids in a tray ready to be scanned will be a thing of the past (Getty Stock Images)

Travellers have taken to social media to point out that regardless of rules in the UK, it requires the hi-tech scanning system to also be implemented in foreign airports to not fall foul of caps on liquid limits.

LADbible now understands that while the technology is being rolled out, passengers should come prepared as usual with liquids no more than 100ml unless advised otherwise by their airports.

But this should also be the case with airports they're travelling back from, with checking requirements at all airports involved in the trip - including return journeys and for any transfers - vital as restrictions vary across the world.

The government expects that in time, the new scanners will become 'standard' for all forms of international travel.

Standard practice for most at the moment (Getty Stock Images)

A DfT spokesperson told LADbible: "The UK is a world leader at rolling out next generation security scanners – making travel easier for passengers, enhancing security further at UK airports and, over time, we expect this technology to be standard for airport security globally.

“Every country has the right to set their own airport security restrictions, and passengers should continue, as they always have, to check the rules of the airports they are travelling to, via and from.”

As it stands, you can take liquid containers larger than 100ml through security at all UK airports if they are for essential medical purposes; are for special dietary requirements; and / or contain baby food or baby milk.