Edinburgh Airport Drops 100ml Liquid Limit with 3D Scanners

Edinburgh Airport has officially removed the 100ml liquid limit for hand luggage following the installation of eight new 3D CT scanners and two additional security lanes. This infrastructure upgrade, part of a £24 million (US$32.6 million) investment, enables passengers to carry liquids in containers of up to two liters through security without removing them from their bags.

Birmingham Airport implemented the same change earlier that week, making both airports the latest UK hubs to adopt Next Generation Security Checkpoints (NGSC) technology.

“This change allows more flexibility for passengers to take liquids through security, all while maintaining and improving our high safety levels through the use of 3D technology. A whole generation of travellers have only known the 100ml rule to be the case, so it really is a momentous day as we become the first airport in Scotland to lift the rule since it was introduced in 2006,” said Gordon Dewar, CEO, Edinburgh Airport.

Under the updated system, passengers can also keep large electronics such as laptops and tablets inside their carry-on baggage. However, some restrictions remain: passengers must still empty metal water bottles before passing through security. While there is no limit on the number of containers carried, travelers are advised to check the policies of their destination airports, as implementation varies across the UK and internationally.

The rule change at Edinburgh follows a broader UK government initiative. In 2022, the Department for Transport (DfT) mandated that all airports install advanced 3D CT scanners by June 2024. These scanners produce detailed 3D images of luggage, similar to hospital CT technology, allowing security staff to assess bag contents without requiring passengers to remove liquids or electronics.

Despite the government deadline, progress has been uneven. Larger airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester missed the June 2024 deadline due to infrastructure constraints, including the need for floor reinforcement to accommodate the heavy scanners and challenges related to supply chains. As of mid-June 2024, the DfT temporarily reimposed the 100ml liquid rule at all UK airports, including those that had previously dropped it, citing the need for further technical improvements to the new systems.

Smaller UK airports, which had fewer security lanes to update, began easing restrictions as early as mid-2023. However, the reversal in June 2024 impacted many of them, underscoring the ongoing complexity of nationwide rollout. The UK government has not confirmed when the reimposed restriction will be lifted again.

The NGSC scanners are already operational at Aberdeen and Glasgow airports, which are owned by AGS Airports. These facilities allow liquids and electronics to remain inside bags, though the 100ml limit is still enforced. In contrast, Inverness and Glasgow Prestwick continue to require passengers to remove liquids and electronics. Liquids must be placed in a 20cm x 20cm transparent plastic bag, with a maximum capacity of one liter per passenger.

Internationally, several European Union airports—including those in Rome and Amsterdam—temporarily lifted the 100ml rule in 2023 after installing similar scanning equipment. However, the EU reinstated the liquid limit in September 2024 following concerns about scanner accuracy for specific container types.

The DfT has not released a specific timeline for when it expects all airports to permanently lift the 100ml rule, but airports like Edinburgh and Birmingham represent significant progress toward a nationwide transition.