London City Airport drops 100ml liquid rule after introducing advanced scanners

Passengers are now able to carry up to two litres of liquid in hand luggage

London City Airport has installed three advanced scanners. EPA

London City Airport has dropped a 100ml liquid limit for hand baggage after introducing advanced scanners.

From Tuesday, all passengers travelling through security at the East London airport will be able to carry up to two litres of liquid in their hand luggage and leave laptops and other electronic devices in their bags, speeding up transit times.

The hub is one of the first in the UK to introduce the new scanning machines ahead of a June 2024 deadline for large airports.

“The good news for anyone planning a holiday or a business trip is that we will be the first mainstream UK airport to offer a fully CT security experience from the end of this month,” said Robert Sinclair, chief executive of London City Airport said in March.

It already had two of the scanners up and running then.

The installation of a third means passengers in all security lanes will now be able to benefit.

“The new lanes will not only cut hassle, but also cut queuing times, which I know passengers will love,” said Mr Sinclair.

The CT scanners take high-resolution 3D images to detect dangerous items or banned foods.

In November, London's Heathrow Airport and Gatwick Airport said they were trialling the scanners, which are already in use at Shannon Airport in Ireland and at Teesside International Airport in north-east England.

Shannon Airport says the introduction has halved the time passengers spend in security screening.

The 100ml restriction was brought in following a foiled plot in August 2006 to bring down as many as 10 passenger planes using explosives disguised as soft drinks.

For weeks almost all cabin baggage was banned on flights, except passports and wallets, and a total ban on liquids was in place for longer.

By November 2006, liquids were again permitted in carry on bags, however, they had to be restricted to 100ml and fit in a clear plastic bag measuring no more than 20cm by 20cm.

Laptops, tablets and cameras must also currently be removed from cabin bags at airports which have not yet installed the new scanners.