Europe is close to adopting a decision that is expected to bring a historic change for air travelers. If all goes according to plan, passengers will soon be allowed to take liquids in hand luggage in quantities larger than 100 ml – a restriction that has been in place since 2006.
This long-awaited change will be made possible by the deployment of advanced technology scanners at some of the continent’s largest airports. These modern devices are capable of accurately identifying dangerous substances, including explosives, eliminating the need for strict restrictions on liquids.
The proposal is currently under consideration by the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) and is expected to be adopted on July 25. This decision will include updating the algorithm of the Hi-Scan 6040 CTiX scanners, which are already installed at some of the main European airports.
If approved, the new rule will initially apply only to airports that have installed these devices, such as: Milan Malpensa and Linate, Rome Fiumicino, Bergamo, Catania, Bologna and Turin, which together process around 70 million passengers per year.
These are some of the benefits that passengers will have at airports where scanners are active:
* It is allowed to carry liquids over 100 ml in hand luggage (perfumes, bottled water, wine, oil, etc.)
* It is no longer necessary to remove them during security checks
* The check-in process becomes faster and less stressful
However, airports that do not yet have this technology will continue to apply the existing regulation on liquid restrictions.
Recall that the 100 ml limit for liquids was introduced in 2006 as a security measure following the September 11 attacks and subsequent attempts to bomb airplanes with liquid explosives. With the advancement of technology, it seems that this long chapter of restrictions is finally coming to a close.