Edinburgh Airport lifts 100ml liquids rule - here’s how much liquid passengers can now travel with

The restriction on liquids carried in hand baggage and on-board luggage was firstintroduced in 2006.

Passengers can now keep liquids in their bags when going through security, and those liquid containers can now contain up to two litres each.

Edinburgh, now part of the VINCI Airports network, is the first airport in Scotland to scrap the limit, with the change allowed due to new scanning equipment.

It follows the installation of eight new X-rays machines as part of a £24 million investment to transform the security process at Scotland’s busiest airport. Large electrical items, such as tablets and laptops, can remain in bags.

Liquids in containers up to two litres can now also be kept inside carry-on luggage.

Gordon Dewar, chief executive at Edinburgh Airport, said: “This is a big day for our passengers and the airport team – we are delighted to be able to lift this rule and really transform the whole security process, making it easier for everyone.

“A whole generation of travellers have only known the 100ml rule to be the case, so it really is a momentous day as we become the first airport in Scotland to lift the rule since it was introduced in 2006.

“The change allows more flexibility for passengers to take liquids through security, all while maintaining and improving our high safety levels through the use of 3D technology. But it is important that passengers continue to check with the situation at their return airport as not all airports will be moving away from 100ml just yet.”

The new security machines, which were first installed last year, work like CT scanners in hospitals to check passengers’ hand luggage for suspicious items. Security staff are able to tilt, enhance and rotate the images to see what is inside closed bags.

The UK government announced in June last year the 100ml limit was being temporarily restored “to enable further improvements to be made to the new checkpoint systems”.

But Edinburgh Airport announced in April that work to install eight of the scanners had been completed, after the airport’s initial trials of the 3D scanner technology was first announced as long ago as 2019.

The airport, which earlier this year introduced an additional two lanes in its security hall, said at the time the machines “completely modernise” the process of passing through security, ensuring the process is quicker while also improving the safety of passengers and staff.

Michael Hering, head of security at the airport, which welcomed more than 15.8 million passengers last year, said in April: “This will be welcome news for the millions of passengers who travel through Edinburgh Airport every year, and we’re glad to be able to complete this project and speed up the process.

“We’ve invested almost £24 million to install this cutting-edge technology to improve the overall experience for passengers, and 97 per cent of passengers are already passing through in under ten minutes.”

The 3D scanner technology has been used by some major airports around the world for several years, with several in Scotland, including Glasgow, also following Edinburgh’s lead by investing in new technology.