Holidaymakers might face confusion when touring this summer time after the UK’s busiest airports admitted they are going to miss a deadline to put in new safety scanners that might finish the necessity for a 100ml restrict on liquids.
The Division for Transport (DfT) set the June 2024 goal on the finish of 2022, after which Transport Secretary Mark Harper pledged to get rid of the necessity for “small toiletries”, which he stated can be had grow to be a staple of the airport. safety checkpoints.
Nevertheless, it seems that London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Manchester airports will miss the deadline, in line with experiences. bbc information.
This can imply that whereas some new scanners shall be put in, different lanes will function with the present scanners, which means 100ml limits for handheld liquids will nonetheless apply, which might result in confusion and vacationers being caught off guard by the inconsistency, in line with a bunch of shoppers.
Learn extra: Simon Calder on airport safety: What are the foundations for liquids?
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Journey, stated: “It is vitally disappointing that some airports will not be assembly the federal government’s deadline to put in new CT safety scanners by June this 12 months. By permitting passengers to retailer gadgets like laptops and liquids of their baggage, these scanners had the potential to dramatically scale back safety strains in time for the height summer time journey season.
“With completely different guidelines and processes now prone to apply at completely different airports, it’s important that passengers perform checks earlier than touring so they don’t get caught out. Sadly, the shortage of consistency is prone to be complicated for a lot of vacationers and should result in additional delays.”
The delays may very well be as a result of weight of the scanners in addition to price, in line with aviation knowledgeable Sally Gethin.
She stated bbc information that “generally it’s a must to reinforce the flooring of the terminal itself” and that the worth is excessive as a result of “it’s the newest know-how.”
Heathrow has 146 safety lanes, greater than all different UK airports mixed, which means the power is a posh operation, particularly when measures are taken to keep away from disruption to present passengers passing by safety.
A few of Heathrow’s terminals (T2, T3 and T5) have already got some new scanners, and T4 is anticipated to have some by the summer time. The UK’s largest airport declined to remark when approached The impartial.
A London Gatwick spokesperson stated the airport “may have made important progress in putting in state-of-the-art safety scanners by June 2024 at each terminals” and that they plan to “have accomplished the foremost logistical operation required to put in the remaining scanners at The primary quarter of 2025, as soon as the busy summer time interval has concluded.”
MAG, which operates Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports, stated The impartial that the brand new scanners shall be put in in “numerous our safety lanes by June 2024,” with this system anticipated to finish in 2025.
“This can be a advanced work program that requires increasing the terminal amenities whereas sustaining operations throughout development,” a spokesperson added.
“We’re at present rolling out the brand new know-how on a lane-by-lane foundation at Manchester and London Stansted airports, with a number of new lanes already in operation. “Main development initiatives are additionally underway at Manchester and East Midlands airports to develop the scale of the terminals to accommodate the brand new tools.”
The DfT has been contacted for remark.
The present 100ml liquid restrictions have been in drive since November 2006. The principles have been launched after a whole ban on liquids within the cabin was imposed three months earlier as a result of a foiled terrorist assault wherein liquid explosives hidden in bottles of drinks might have introduced down 10 planes.