In case you’re taking a flight to any nation that’s a member of the European Union—and there are 27 of them—then there are some up to date carry-on baggage guidelines it’s essential make your self conscious of earlier than you flip up on the airport. If you cross by safety, brokers will ask you to take away liquids and electronics out of your carry-on to allow them to be scanned.
In idea, these rule adjustments are solely momentary: They seem to be a stopgap resolution whereas we watch for the following technology of safety scanners to go absolutely reside. The implementation of those C3 scanners, which might correctly analyze liquids and electronics so they do not must be taken out of your hand baggage, has been delayed past the unique June 2024 deadline.
The official implementation date for these new carry-on baggage guidelines is September 1, 2024, so they’re already in impact. There is not any fastened date as to when they are going to be relaxed, as a result of there are quite a lot of elements at play. It’s possible the foundations can be in place till no less than the center of 2025.
Which Airports Are Affected?
To be clear, these aren’t brand-new guidelines on your carry-on baggage. What’s occurring is that EU airports are reverting to the earlier algorithm about what varieties of issues should be taken out of your carry-on for inspection while you cross by safety.
All airports in EU international locations are affected, as are some airports within the UK (together with Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, and Manchester) and airports in Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
Strictly talking, solely airports which have C3 scanners put in needs to be rolling again their guidelines; different airports that by no means put in the C3 scanners have continued to comply with the previous procedures. The rollout of the brand new tech has been costlier and brought longer than anticipated, and there are nonetheless bugs within the system—so the previous safety guidelines are as soon as once more required.
Formally, it is a “tech problem” with the brand new tools: Though the machines have been put in in numerous airports, it appears their scanning capabilities aren’t fairly as much as the excessive degree required. Whereas that will get sorted out, the scanners cannot be relied upon to identify harmful contents in baggage.
Contemplating getting objects out and in of baggage all the time takes time, and allowing for that some passengers aren’t going to know precisely what they’re purported to be doing, you may need to go away some further time in your schedule to permit for queues and delays.
What Are the Guidelines?
To protect towards the specter of explosives, all liquids and electronics will should be taken out of baggage and scanned individually. As well as, liquids needs to be inside containers no larger than 100 milliliters (3.4 liquid ounces) and are to be positioned in a transparent plastic bag of round 20 x 20 cm (7.9 x 7.9 inches).
This “100 ml rule” applies to all liquids, together with (however not restricted to) drinks, semiliquid meals like soups, cosmetics and toiletries, sprays, toothpaste, bathe gel, hair gel, and get in touch with lens resolution. As common, these liquids and typical electronics could be put in your checked baggage with no problem.
Exceptions to the 100-ml rule are typically made for these touring with small infants and for these with particular dietary and well being necessities (together with individuals who want to hold medicine). In case you match into these classes, you need to test upfront with the airport, and when you’re taking medicine with you then you might want a health care provider’s observe.
For seasoned vacationers, that is all going to be fairly acquainted—however hopefully, as the brand new baggage scanners begin to come on-line, the safety checkpoint course of at airports ought to change into extra streamlined and sooner general. In case you’re in any doubt concerning the guidelines, test along with your airline and the airport concerned near the time you have touring.
Lastly, a observe on one thing that is not altering, no less than not but: Whereas there have been rumors that the EU goes to use guidelines on standardized case sizes for carry-on baggage, nothing has been determined. The thought has been mentioned, however in the interim there is no single dimension commonplace.
