London Metropolis airport will change into the UK’s first to scrap restrictions on travelling with liquids — and in time for the Easter holidays.

Airport bosses stated all 4 of its safety scanners will probably be upgraded to new-generation CT machines, much like these utilized in hospitals, by the tip of March. The transfer will enable passengers to take as much as two litres of liquids by way of safety of their hand baggage. There will even be no have to take away laptops from baggage.

It was revealed in November that ministers have been poised to announce the scrapping of all guidelines on liquids and hand baggage as soon as the CT safety machines have been in place at airports.

Main airports within the UK have been given a deadline of June 2024 to put in the expertise, which produces a high-resolution 3D scan of passengers’ baggage and permits operators to examine baggage from each angle. Older machines produce solely a 2D picture.

Metropolis airport, in London’s Docklands, has launched the machines greater than a yr forward of deadline. Folks failing to take away objects from their baggage or travelling with giant bottles of liquids and lotions is the largest reason for delays at airport safety.

“The excellent news for anybody planning a vacation or a enterprise journey is that we would be the first mainstream UK airport to supply a totally CT safety expertise from the tip of this month,” stated Robert Sinclair, the airport’s chief govt.

“The brand new lanes won’t solely minimize problem but additionally queuing instances, which I do know passengers will love.”

Metropolis already has two new-generation CT scanners in operation. The airport stated: “A ultimate new CT scanner will probably be added on the finish of March, which means anybody flying within the run-up to Easter will have the ability to preserve laptops and liquids of as much as two litres inside their baggage.”

The 100ml rule was launched within the wake of a foiled Islamist transatlantic terror plot in 2006 and was anticipated to be a short lived measure. Terrorists had deliberate to down seven flights departing from Heathrow utilizing liquid explosive disguised as comfortable drinks. It could have been al-Qaeda’s largest terror assault within the West since 9/11.

Mark Harper, the transport secretary, stated: “Tiny toiletry has change into a staple of airport safety checkpoints, however that’s all set to vary.

“I’m streamlining cabin bag guidelines at airports whereas enhancing safety. By 2024, main airports throughout the UK could have the most recent safety tech put in, lowering queuing instances, enhancing the passenger expertise and, most significantly, detecting potential threats.”

Trials of the brand new scanners have been below method at airports since 2018. The expertise is already getting used at Schiphol in Amsterdam and in a number of US airports.