EU: Liquid limits at airports remain in place despite new smart scanners
The new technology promises faster processes at hubs such as Frankfurt Airport.
Following the installation of new generation CT scanners at Frankfurt Airport and other German airports, the strict rules on liquids in hand luggage were relaxed somewhat, giving passengers hope that long security checks would become a thing of the past. Unfortunately, the European Commission has decided that the old rules, which stipulate a 100 ml limit for liquids, will remain in force after doubts were raised about whether the new scanners can effectively detect the contents of liquid containers.
This means that from 1 September, all EU airports, regardless of existing scanning technology, will have to follow the 2006 rules. This means that passengers will only be allowed to carry liquid containers of 100 ml and these must be stored in a resealable plastic bag with a maximum capacity of one litre.
100 ml liquid rule remains on
In some ways, nothing changes, as most airports on the continent have not adopted the new types of scanners. The CT scanners work in a similar way to those used in the medical field, by quickly creating a three-dimensional image of the contents of a piece of luggage.
However, the EU wants to avoid confusion and standardise the security checks procedure at all airports in the Union. For this reason, it has decided that from 1 September the old rules will apply again, regardless of the hub used.
This means that liquids and electronics must still be unpacked and presented separately at checkpoints with conventional scanners.
However, medicines and liquid baby food are exempt from the new rules. Whether the change will be permanent depends on a more thorough investigation into the reliability of the scanners.
