Passengers can now carry bottles containing up to two litres in their hand luggage and keep electrical items like laptops in their carry-on bags when they pass through the new 3D scanners.
This change has reportedly reduced queue times by 50 per cent due to the elimination of manual bag checks.
However, it was recently revealed that the nationwide relaxation of rules for airline passengers carrying liquids in hand luggage has been postponed by a year.
The government has given extensions to several large UK airports unable to meet its June 1 deadline to fully install the new scanning technology.
For those airports yet to implement the new scanners, the 100ml limit remains and containers must be placed in clear plastic bags, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The initial deadline for most major airports to have the new scanners in place was December 2022, a date agreed upon in August 2019 by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
However, Covid-19 caused significant disruptions within the aviation sector and in December 2022, Transport Secretary Mark Harper extended the deadline to June 1, 2024.
Furthermore, ministers have granted several airport-specific deadline extensions of up to 12 months, presumably providing ample time for all necessary work to be completed.
Due to security concerns, the Department for Transport has not disclosed any information on the current status at each airport.
Mr Harper said: “These cutting-edge scanners will make air travel safer and easier for passengers by strengthening security even further.
“The UK is leading the world with its rollout of this technology, but it’s important we give those airports yet to meet the deadline a second chance to get the job done. Until they do, passengers should continue to check before travelling.”
Meanwhile, Heathrow Airport predicts that all its security lanes will have these new scanners by this summer. On the other hand, Gatwick has set a goal to complete the implementation by March next year.
The managers of Manchester Airports Group, responsible for Manchester, East Midlands, and Stansted airports anticipate full deployment by 2025.
London City stands out in history as the UK’s first major airport to apply these new scanners across the board for all passengers in April last year.
This reform followed the introduction of airport security restrictions on liquids in light of a foiled terrorist strategy back in 2006.
The plan was to detonate homemade liquid explosives aboard planes flying from London to the US.
The Security Manager of Aberdeen Airport, William Wallace, expressed his delight with their progress: “We are delighted to have the NGSC scanners operational at Aberdeen. We are well ahead of the deadline set by the Government thanks to all the hard work from our staff and contractors.”
Passengers were alerted to a substantial policy update as Wallace declared: “This is one of the biggest changes in airport security so we would ask passengers to be prepared for this new process and to have patience as we enter the biggest change in aviation security in nearly two decades.”
He also warned travellers that different airports would have differing rules.
The transport representative further advised: “It is important to check what the process is at both your departing airport and any other airports you will travel through or from before you set off, as this may be different.”
A third major UK airport has scrapped the 100ml liquid rule for hand luggage.
Aberdeen International Airport has followed in the footsteps of Teesside and London City airports as new high-tech scanners are set to be rolled-out nationwide.
It also means passengers will also be able to keep devices such as laptops in their bags when they head through security.
Despite this progress, the government has voiced its frustration over missed deadlines for the implementation of these scanners this summer.
The introduction of Next Generation Security Checkpoint (NGSC) Scanners means that the previous 100ml liquid rule is no longer applicable.
