UK airports warn Brits could face chaotic summer due to new hand luggage rules

28 December 2023 , 11:32

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UK airports warn Brits could face chaotic summer due to new hand luggage rules

Several of the biggest airports in the country are due to miss deadlines to install new hand luggage scanners.

Manchester, Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted airports could all fail to hit a Department of Transport imposed cut off to install new machines designed to speed up the pre-boarding process in their departure halls, it has been claimed.

Earlier this year the Government announced that all major airports would have to have the scanners active by June 2024, meaning passengers will be able to bring containers of up to two litres in their hand luggage and not have to break down their belongings.

Teesside Airport, in County Durham, and London City have already scrapped the 100ml rule by installing all new scanners, but other, bigger airports are struggling to hit the deadline in time.

There are concerns the delays could cause issues at UK airports next summer (PA)

There are concerns passengers could arrive at travel hubs this summer expecting to put their belongings through the new machines only to have their bags checked in-line with the old regime, leading to frustration and potentially long waits.

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A spokesperson for Gatwick told the Mirror that the new machines would not be fully installed until the start of next year. They said: “London Gatwick will have made significant progress installing state of the art next generation security scanners by June 2024 in both terminals. We currently plan to have completed the major logistical operation required to install the remaining scanners in Q1 2025, after the busy summer peak period has concluded.

The new machines should allow laws about hand luggage to be relaxed (PA)

“The airport’s investment in this new technology means once the new scanners are phased in, the security process will be transformed with passengers no longer required to remove electrical items or put liquids in plastic bags. The new scanners will also quickly identify potential threats in cabin baggage by providing even better images of luggage, with the safety of passengers the airport’s highest priority.”

An aviation insider told the Times that significant time delays for the scanners' rollout was “almost inevitable”. They added: “It’s going to be a struggle for the big airports. One of the biggest issues they face is fitting the new scanners and retraining staff without impacting the flow of passengers.”

One concern is that the installation could be partially completed, with some passengers able to put their belongings through the new scanners and some made to go through traditional x-ray machines.

Heathrow bosses have told the Civil Aviation Authority that it will be “difficult to deliver” new scanners across its 146 security lanes by June, as doing so requires some floors to be reinforced. The work will not be completed until 2025 despite £1billion being invested into making the changes.

A spokesperson for Heathrow told the Mirror that it was "investing a huge amount of energy" into installing the new scanners while "ensuring we keep the operation flowing and our passengers have a smooth security experience at Heathrow during the transition".

There is a similar situation at Stansted, Manchester and East Midlands. A spokesperson for the airports controlling group, MAG, told the Mirror: "We continue to make good progress at all three of our airports on the introduction of new security screening equipment, as part of the UK-wide programme. This is a complex programme of work requiring the expansion of terminal facilities, while at the same time maintaining operations during construction.

"We are currently rolling out the new technology lane-by-lane at Manchester and London Stansted airports, with several new lanes already in operation. Work is also underway on major construction projects at both Manchester and East Midlands airports to expand the size of the terminals to accommodate the new equipment.

"This will see the new scanners in place on a large number of our security lanes by June 2024, with the full completion of the programme expected the following year."

Milo Boyd