UK airport liquid rules: guidelines explained ahead of 2024 change - what will be different for holidaymakers?

The rules around taking liquids and large electrical items through security at major airports across the UK are set to change next year with the installation of new technology.

Airports have until June 2024 to upgrade their screening equipment but many have already begun trialling new scanners since 2018. Teeside Airport was the first in the UK to get rid of the rule on 100ml liquids while London City Airport became the first in the capital to ditch it in hand luggage after it introduced high-tech CT scanners.

Government advises the public to check with their specific airport before travelling to see which rules are in place and until the new 2024 rules come into force passengers should follow the current 100ml liquid guidelines. The current liquids rules were introduced in 2006 as a “temporary measure” following a terrorist threat and have been designed to stop those with hostile intent carrying liquid explosives onto planes.

Here we explain what the current liquid rules are, whether there are any exemptions and what will change from next year.

Can I bring liquids onto a plane?

No container containing liquid can be above 100ml, and they must be carried within a resealable clear plastic bag with a maximum volume of one litre.

Liquids are defined by the government as:

• All drinks, including water
• Liquid or semi-liquid foods, for example soup, jam, honey and syrups
• Cosmetics and toiletries, including creams, lotions, oils, perfumes, mascara and lip gloss
• Sprays, including shaving foam, hairspray and spray deodorants
• Pastes, including toothpaste
• Gels, including hair and shower gel
• Contact lens solution
• Any other solutions and items of similar consistency

Passengers are also advised to avoid taking any liquids in larger containers as even if there’s less than 100ml left in the bottle/tub it isn’t permitted in hand luggage. Instead larger toiletries should be packed into checked-in luggage and kept in the aircraft’s hold.

Once through security, Duty-Free products are full of liquids way above 100ml marker that passengers are available to purchase from spirits to perfumes.

Because these items are purchased in the secure departures area of the airport, Duty-Free liquids aren’t subject to the same restrictions. However, the quantity of these items may be dependent on the country of travel so passengers are urged to check before they go.

If passengers take Duty-Free items on the plane they must be sealed inside a security bag purchased with the accompanying receipt sealed and visible inside.

Certain liquids aren’t subject to the same 100ml hand luggage rule. These include:

• Liquids for essential medical purposes
• Liquids for special dietary requirements
• Baby food or baby milk

Those that are medically exempt must show supporting documentation from a relevant medical professional (such as a doctor’s letter or a copy of your prescription). Baby food is allowed in hand luggage as long as a baby is present, but breast milk must be in containers of no more than two litres. Frozen breast milk is not allowed in hand luggage.

Passengers are advised to look at the airport’s website that they are travelling from to adhere to any guidelines and to make travelling stress-free.

How can I take liquids onto a flight?

To take liquids in hand luggage passengers need to package them accordingly. Liquids need to be in the following format according to the guidelines:

• All liquids must be in containers holding no more than 100ml each.
• The total of each passenger’s liquids must fit into one 20cm x 20cm reusable clear plastic bag.
• The bag must not be overfilled, closing comfortably and not tied or knotted at the top.

Those with hand luggage can buy empty containers that liquids can be poured into - this will save a lot of hassle at security. Any liquids that aren’t compliant with security rules won’t be allowed through the checkpoint and passengers will be asked to throw them away.

How will it change from 2024?

The current 100ml limit on liquids allowed through airport security is set to be relaxed in 2024. The changes set to be introduced by the government will also see travellers no longer required to carry the containers in clear plastic bags or remove tablets and laptops from hand luggage at checkpoints.

The new deadline follows trials conducted at airports since 2018, which demonstrated the effectiveness of new screening equipment that uses CT X-ray technology to provide a 3D image of what is in passengers’ bags.

Ireland’s Shannon Airport phased out the 100ml liquid rule last year after a €2.5m investment in a new screening system. The new system allows Shannon Airport to process 550 passengers per hour through security, doubling capacity compared with figures prior to the installation.

As part of the project, all liquid, gels, aerosols, creams, pastes, medicines, and special dietary products that would previously have had to be put into clear sealed plastic bags in hand luggage can remain packed in cabin bags.

“Our new security screening facility is a fantastic innovation and is the latest enhancement to the passenger journey at Shannon,” says John Francis, security manager at Shannon Airport.

He added that it creates “a quick, smoother and easier experience” and gives the airport “a unique edge over other airports internationally and lives up to our brand promise to make our airport experience even easier.”