Heathrow Airport has ended the 100ml limit on liquids in cabin baggage, allowing passengers to carry containers up to two litres and keep electronics in bags. The change follows a £1bn rollout of CT scanners that provide 3D images of bag contents.
The restrictions, introduced in 2006 after a foiled transatlantic bomb plot, required liquids, pastes, and gels to be in 100ml containers and placed in clear plastic bags. Large devices like laptops had to be removed for screening.
Heathrow is the largest airport globally to implement the technology, joining Birmingham, Bristol, Gatwick, and Edinburgh. Chief executive Thomas Woldbye said the upgrade reduces preparation time and enhances the passenger experience.
The rule applies only to outbound flights from Heathrow. Travel experts advise checking restrictions at return airports, as many destinations still enforce the 100ml limit. Heathrow estimates the new scanners will save nearly 16 million plastic bags annually.
The original deadline for UK airports to install the scanners was December 2022, later pushed to June 2024 due to pandemic disruption. Some airports like London City, Luton, and Teesside have scanners but still limit liquids to 100ml pending regulatory approval.
