A travel expert has issued a warning that four out of five Brits are clueless about a new security rule introduced this year.
The Government had earlier announced that major airports would have to implement new scanners by June 1, allowing passengers to carry two litres of liquids in their hand luggage and keep items like laptops in their bags.
Despite the original deadline being pushed back from 2022, several airports including Stansted, Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester have confessed they will not meet next week’s deadline.
On the other hand, smaller airports such as Teesside, London City, Birmingham and Newcastle have installed the new security screening technology and anticipate going live on schedule.
This disparity in readiness among airports has left passengers baffled about what they can and cannot bring to the airport.
A survey conducted by AirAdvisor and exclusively shared with the Mirror revealed that a staggering 83% of people are oblivious to the changes in the 100ml liquid rules at airports this summer.
The new regulation will permit passengers to carry two litres of liquids in their hand luggage on planes.
This change will be applicable to UK airports, but rules at other destinations or for return journeys to the UK may still apply.
The existing rule, which allows passengers to carry liquids under 100ml in their hand luggage in a sealed 20cm x 20cm bag not exceeding one litre, will remain in effect until at least June 1.
Despite the majority of passengers not keeping up with minor changes in the aviation sector, many travellers may mistakenly believe that the 100ml liquid rule will be abolished at all UK airports from June 1. However, this is not the case.
Anton Radchenko, founder and CEO of AirAdvisor, warned: “Considering this rule holds significant importance and will redefine how we travel, people should be aware of it.”
The only airports set to ditch the 100ml liquid rule this summer are London City, Newcastle, and Teesside, due to their early adoption of 3-D CT scanners.
Birmingham also falls into this category, being the sole major airport to meet the target date of June 1.
Other key airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester are lagging behind schedule and are anticipated to implement the rule within the initial months of 2025.
A survey revealed that a staggering 97% of respondents were unaware of which airports will be abolishing the 100ml liquid rules this summer.
“If you’re travelling through any of these airports, the old rules will still apply to you even if you’re travelling to/from London City, Newcastle, and Teesside, which have scrapped the 100ml liquid rule,” cautioned Anton. “Passengers flying on this route must be vigilant and aware that old rules will still apply this summer.”
With a significant number of travellers still in the dark about the recent rule changes, chaos could ensue at airports.
“I don’t think airlines are prepared for it,” Anton remarked. “Airlines are also to blame for this confusion because they hardly keep their passengers informed with relevant updates.”
The survey revealed a palpable dissatisfaction with customer service, as a whopping 77% of participants rated airlines’ customer support as poor.
“Unless airlines communicate proactively with their passengers and inform them that the old hand luggage rules will stand in place this summer, there will be confusion,” Anton cautioned. “Ideally, they should send SMS [messages], emails, and call alerts to ticket-holders and previous passengers alike.”
According to the survey, the most daunting aspect of summer air travel for respondents is adapting to the new 100ml rules (42%), followed by delays and cancellations (34%), airport congestion (13%), lost luggage (7%), and missed flights (3%).
With airlines potentially failing to communicate effectively during the busy season, passengers themselves might inadvertently contribute to airport delays.
Anton suggested: “Apart from proactive communication, I recommend airlines leverage social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to spread the message to the general audience and create awareness.
“Airlines should also make use of help desks to assist passengers, as not all will have access to social media. Considering it’s busy summer travel season, airlines and airports should be prepared with more customer support staff to avoid confusion, save time, and streamline the airport security process.”