The ability to travel by plane without worrying about carrying containers with more than 100ml of liquids in their hand luggage will soon be available to passengers at some European airports.

Enforced for security reasons since 2006, against the black backdrop of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US, the rule was familiar to everyone for air travel: liquids or gels in hand luggage are only allowed in containers of up to 100 ml each and all placed together in a resealable plastic bag with a maximum capacity of one litre. The reason? Below this limit, one would be able to assemble explosives on board the aircraft.

According to reports, these restrictions may soon be lifted under certain conditions and pending, perhaps in the next few days, EU approval, at least in those airports that have adopted very sophisticated and expensive screening systems following the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report in the Italian newspaper Repubblica.

The European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) is reportedly ready to approve the upgraded version of software used by Smiths Detection’s Hi-Scan 6040 CTiX scanners, which offer high-precision 3D imaging and can detect suspicious objects and explosives.

Provided the final tests go smoothly, passengers may soon no longer need to remove laptops or tablets from their luggage, and may also be able to carry liquids over 100ml, such as drinks, gels and cosmetics.

The transition, however, was not a smooth one. Despite investment in several airports, the European Commission suddenly imposed restrictions in 2024 due to challenges, mainly from US authorities, over the reliability of the scanners. Thus, from 1 September 2024, the new restrictions were extended almost everywhere, causing technical difficulties and reactions in countries such as Italy, Germany, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Discontent was strong, not only from travellers but also from airport operators, who had already spent large sums – the new scanners cost up to eight times more than the old models, with increased maintenance costs. However, the investment was deemed necessary to enhance security and improve the passenger experience.