Almost one in FIVE bags going through security at Birmingham Airport failed the new 100ml liquid rule today alone

Almost one in five bags that passed through security at Birmingham Airport today failed the new 100ml liquids rule, sparking chaos that saw passengers stuck in inferno-long queues.

Many UK passengers are struggling to understand the rules on carrying liquids through airport security after a government push back on Sunday.

The Department for Transport has quietly reintroduced restrictions preventing people from carrying liquids larger than 100ml in hand bags at UK airports with state-of-the-art scanners.

Birmingham Airport – which has launched new “state-of-the-art” scanners – has been criticized on social media as passengers have been forced to wait hours to get through security with huge queues at the terminal doors.

However, today the airport backtracked, blaming the queues on the fact that 18 percent of all bags that passed through the “state-of-the-art” security hall were flagged as non-compliant, adding 20 minutes to each wait.

Bosses at Birmingham Airport also dismissed passenger claims that queues to get into the terminal exceeded two-and-a-half hours – saying delays were at most 70 minutes.

An airport spokesperson told Birmingham Live: “This morning, at peak, 18% of all bags going through security were non-compliant, meaning they had liquids over 100ml in them.

When a bag is rejected by the scanner because of a liquid, it can typically add up to 20 minutes to each passenger’s travel time through security.

“Our maximum queue time was 70 minutes and certainly not two and a half hours. Our outdoor queues seen today originate from “liquid check stations that are located outside the terminal”.

Confused? We are not surprised. Here we explain all…

Currently – all UK airports operate the 100ml liquid rule regardless of existing scanners.

But airports with new scanners have more flexibility in how carry-on bags move through security.

London Town, Aberdeen, Newcastle, Leeds/Bradford, Southend and Teesside airports have all installed new CT (computed tomography)-based 3D scanners in security halls and ditched the 100ml rule. Thanks to their new technology, passengers could bring up to two liters of liquids in any size bottle in their hand luggage and could not remove them for security reasons.

However, on June 9, these airports were ordered to revert to the 100ml liquid rule, despite running state-of-the-art security checkpoints (NGSCs), which create a 3D image of what’s inside in passengers’ luggage, allowing them to better identify items.

However, laptops and tablets can remain in hand luggage.

Passengers should continue to check security requirements at their departure airport before traveling A spokesman for the Department for Transport

A spokesman for the Department for Transport told MailOnline: ‘From Sunday 9 June 2024, the 100ml restrictions on liquids will be temporarily reintroduced for passengers traveling from six regional airports where next-generation security checkpoints (NGSC) are in full operation.

“This temporary move is to allow further improvements to the new checkpoint systems and will only affect a small number of passengers.

“For most passengers, security measures will remain unchanged.

“Passengers should continue to check security requirements with their departure airport before traveling.”

Passengers packing liquids in bottles larger than 100ml will be subject to hand checks at the airport and these items will be at risk of being discarded.

At airports with new scanners, whether travelers must pack their liquids in clear plastic bags, remove them from their luggage or be able to pack more than a liter of liquid in multiple containers is up to each airport, the Department of Health confirmed. Transport for MailOnline. Travel.

What if you are traveling from an airport other than the six covered by the Department for Transport?

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A number of major UK airports have already installed some of the new checkpoints in security halls – however, none have yet changed their cash rules.

London Stansted, Manchester and Edinburgh all have at least some of the new 3D scanners in place. However, since their new security rooms are incomplete and some old scanners still remain, neither has changed their liquid rules.

This means you would still have to respect the 100ml rule and other liquid restrictions that have been in place for the past 18 years at all three airports.

London Gatwick, East Midlands Airport and London Heathrow they have not yet introduced new scanners and therefore their security rooms cannot comply with the new restrictions and the 100ml rule remains in place for the foreseeable future.

So what happened at Birmingham Airport?

The airport had installed the new scanners but limited liquids to 100ml “due to an exceptional regulatory restriction”, CEO Nick Barton told the BBC.

The airport blames passengers for the long queues, accusing them of mispacking their bags.

The problem has been exacerbated, a source told The Independent, by new scanners which misidentified innocent items such as sun cream as “threats”.

Why was the 100ml rule introduced?

The 100ml rule was introduced in 2006 following a foiled terrorist plot to blow up planes flying from London to the US with homemade liquid bombs.

The restrictions required passengers to pack up to one liter of liquids or less in bottles of no more than 100ml.

Liquids, it was stipulated, had to be sealed in a clear plastic bag and removed from the bags before being scanned at security.

Thanks to Nicky Kelvin at The type of points for permission to run his scanner image.