Good news for air travelers! The strict and often frustrating 100ml liquid limit for containers in hand luggage appears to be on its way out, with many airports increasing the permitted limit to 2 liters. However, caution is advised: most airports in the EU and Europe have not yet fully adopted the new regime.
The End of an Era: Why the 100ml Rule is Changing
The 100ml limit was introduced in Europe and beyond in 2006, after British police foiled an Islamist terrorist plot to blow up transatlantic flights using liquid explosives hidden in soft drink bottles. This measure is now set to change, thanks to the installation of new CT (Computed Tomography) security scanners, which offer high-resolution 3D images and can detect both solid and liquid explosives within luggage. Last July, the European Commission announced that a process is underway to abolish the 100ml rule across the entire European Union.
How and When Will This Be Implemented at European Airports?
According to euronews.com, London Heathrow Airport, Europe’s busiest, was among the last to increase the liquid limit, implementing the new rule across all terminals just a few weeks ago. Gatwick, Birmingham, Belfast, and Edinburgh airports had already followed suit. However, Stansted has not yet adopted the 2-liter limit, but passengers can keep liquids inside their bags without placing them in a separate plastic bag. The same applies to London City and Luton airports.
Uneven Implementation Across Europe
Germany: At Munich Airport, the 2-liter limit applies to 15 security lanes in Terminal 2 and five lanes in Terminal 1. The remaining lanes do not yet have CT technology, meaning the 100ml limit remains in effect. A similar situation exists in Frankfurt, where only some checkpoints allow up to 2 liters, and at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport, where the new rule applies to 24 security lanes. Berlin authorities stated that the renovation of the remaining lanes in Terminal 1 will begin in 2026, advising passengers to adhere to the 100ml limit until then to avoid delays.
Italy: There is positive news for those visiting Italy, especially with the Winter Olympics approaching. Liquids up to 2 liters are now permitted at Milan’s Linate and Malpensa (the latter only in Terminal 1), Bologna, Rome Fiumicino, and Turin (only for fast-track passengers) airports.
Other European Airports with a 2-Liter Limit
Liquids up to 2 liters are also permitted at Dublin Airport, Prague’s Terminal 2 Vaclav, Vilnius and Kaunas in Lithuania, Krakow and Poznan in Poland, Cluj in Romania, Billund in Denmark, and Malta.
Which Airports Haven’t Changed (Yet)?
Amsterdam Schiphol and Barcelona El Prat stated that they are following European regulations, without specifying whether they intend to increase the limit in the future. The same applies to Brussels Zaventem Airport, where there are currently no plans to upgrade security equipment. At the airports of Paris, Marseille, Madrid, Athens, and Lisbon, the 100ml limit remains in effect. The authorities of “Eleftherios Venizelos” (Athens) stated that the installation of 2-liter scanners is planned for early 2027, after the completion of expansion works, while Paris airports are estimated to be fully ready by 2030.
Source: Euronews
