After some confusion that has gone around the travel industry the past few weeks, airlines and airports alike have released statements to clarify the cabin bag rules for travellers across the UK before the Easter holidays that are approaching.
Many aviation businesses and officials are urging passengers looking to travel over the Easter period to exercise punctuality and prepare their cabin bags ready for security checks, which will be conducted as they have previously. Many efforts are going into announcements to ensure all travellers are prepared in hopes of avoiding delays regardless of the coming strikes from security workers.
Confusion among travellers has been noted and airlines and airports are trying to address the confusion following an announcement from the Government concerning the deadline set for UK airports in 2024 to install new security scanners that would reduce the security rules for travellers surrounding liquids and hand luggage. Aviation businesses have clarified to travellers that there are currently no changes to the cabin bag rules surrounding liquids, laptops, phones, and other handheld items.
Some passengers in recent weeks have questioned the cabin bag rules while at airport security due to the confusion concerning liquids, however, at present, the only airports that have implemented the new security scanners and therefore relaxed the cabin bag rules are Teesside airport and, starting in April, London City airport.
A source from a UK airport said, “We’re on course to meet the government deadline. [But] airports have concerns about passenger expectations. Some passengers might experience the new system. But the vast majority won’t. We don’t want people to turn up not expecting the security rules and hold things up. We want people to arrive prepared to go through security as normal to avoid delays.”
A source from an airline also commented and said, “The government is applying pressure to achieve the deadline, but the rules haven’t changed. It’s not just a case of buying new scanners. It’s massively complex. These scanners are heavy. Some airports have to strengthen terminal floors and install new lifts. It’s also about training people to use the scanners.
“This will mean a fundamental change in the passenger experience. The scanners are first-rate. They will massively speed up the flow of passengers and put significantly less pressure on security. But the existing rules on liquids and laptops have not changed.”
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