Fri, 23 Jan 2026

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 Heathrow scraps 100ml liquid container limit

Heathrow says it has become the biggest airport to drop the limit after rolling out new high-tech scanners.

* Passengers at Heathrow airport can now leave liquids in containers up to 2 litres in their bags when going through security.
* The airport has completed the rollout of new high-tech CT scanners, which provide better images of cabin bags and allow for more efficient screening.
* Other UK airports, such as Gatwick, Edinburgh, and Birmingham, have also upgraded to the new scanners and raised the liquid limit to 2 litres.
* However, some airports are still waiting for permission from the Department for Transport (DfT) to raise the limit from 100ml.
* The new scanners may not be as effective as claimed, with a report by Which? finding that more bag searches are carried out by hand after passing through them.
* The rule change only applies to flights leaving Heathrow, and passengers must check restrictions on luggage at their destination airport before boarding.
* The rollout of the new scanners has been plagued by delays and setbacks, including a promise from Boris Johnson in 2019 that the rules about taking liquids through security would be scrapped by the end of 2022.
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