Good news! Airports in Europe set to drop the most annoying rule

One of the most frustrating and hotly debated airport regulations of the past few decades—the 100ml liquid limit in carry-on luggage—may soon be a thing of the past at most European airports. The shift comes thanks to the rollout of new-generation security scanners capable of examining larger liquid containers.

Why was the 100ml rule introduced?

The 100ml liquid restriction was put in place back in 2006, following revelations that homemade liquid explosives posed a serious threat to air travel. Traditional x-ray machines couldn’t reliably detect these substances, prompting the EU to impose strict limits on the quantity of liquids allowed on board for safety reasons.

What makes these new scanners different?

The new, advanced CT-based 3D scanners can safely and thoroughly analyze the liquids, aerosols, and gels inside carry-on bags, according to Euronews. This breakthrough technology eliminates the need to enforce the rule requiring all liquids to be in containers no larger than 100ml and packed into a single, resealable, transparent one-liter bag.

Which airports have already adopted the new system?

Italy has led the way in implementing the new scanners, now in operation at airports in both Rome and Milan. These devices are capable of safely inspecting larger liquid containers. Thanks to these advancements, the strict limitations could soon be lifted across the rest of the European Union—pending final approval from the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), according to Transtelex.