Every UK airport that has scrapped 100ml liquid rule - full list

Passengers travelling through three major airports are no longer restricted to carrying liquids in 100ml containers, after the airports completed the full rollout of new high-tech security scanners across all terminals.

Britain's biggest airport is the latest to confirm that travellers can now leave liquids in containers of up to two litres inside their hand luggage when passing through security. Laptops and other large electronics can also remain in bags, and the long-standing requirement to place liquids in clear plastic bags has been scrapped.

London Heathrow said it is now the largest airport in the world to have fully installed the advanced CT scanners, which produce clearer images of cabin baggage and allow security staff to detect threats more efficiently.

London Gatwick, Edinburgh and Birmingham airports have already installed similar scanners in recent years, also allowing passengers to carry liquids of up to two litres.

The change only applies to departures from the airports, and passengers have been warned to check the rules at overseas airports when returning to the UK, as many still enforce the 100ml limit.

While the 100ml liquid rule remains at London Stansted, passengers no longer have to pack them in a separate clear bag.

Heathrow said the new equipment can process "thousands of passengers an hour with significantly greater efficiency, while maintaining high safety and security standards".

The rollout of the scanners nationwide has been beset by delays and reversals. In 2019, then prime minister Boris Johnson promised the 100ml liquids rule would be scrapped by the end of 2022, but the Covid pandemic halted progress.

In December 2022, the Conservative government announced a June 2024 deadline for the installation of the new scanners, calling it the "biggest shake-up of airport security rules in decades". However, that deadline proved unrealistic for major airports.

In June 2024, the government ordered smaller airports that had already relaxed the rules to temporarily reinstate the 100ml limit, sparking anger among airport operators. The EU also reverted to the 100ml rule shortly afterwards, leading to widespread confusion for travellers.

During that period, passengers were advised to assume the 100ml restriction still applied at most airports.

Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye said the airport's £1bn investment in upgrades would transform the passenger experience. "This means less time preparing for security and more time enjoying the journey," he said.

Of the world's 10 busiest airports, Heathrow is currently the only one to have scrapped the 100ml liquids rule for international departures.