When 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 is advisable to make your self conscious of earlier than you flip up on the airport. While you go by means of safety, brokers will ask you to take away liquids and electronics out of your carry-on to allow them to be scanned.
In concept, these rule modifications are solely momentary: They seem to be a stopgap answer whereas we look ahead to the following technology of safety scanners to go totally dwell. The implementation of those C3 scanners, which may correctly analyze liquids and electronics so they do not should 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 no fastened date as to when they are going to be relaxed, as a result of there are numerous components at play. It’s doubtless the foundations will probably be in place till at the least 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 forms of issues must be taken out of your carry-on for inspection while you go by means of safety.
All airports in EU nations 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 must be rolling again their guidelines; different airports that by no means put in the C3 scanners have continued to observe the outdated procedures.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new tech has been costlier and brought longer than anticipated, and there are nonetheless bugs within the system—so the outdated safety guidelines are as soon as once more required.
Formally, it is a “tech challenge” with the brand new tools: Though the machines have been put in in various airports, it appears their scanning capabilities aren’t fairly as much as the excessive stage required. Whereas that will get sorted out, the scanners cannot be relied upon to identify harmful contents in baggage.
Contemplating getting gadgets out and in of baggage at all times takes time, and allowing for that some passengers aren’t going to know precisely what they’re presupposed to be doing, you would possibly wish to depart some additional time in your schedule to permit for queues and delays.
What Are the Guidelines?
To protect in opposition to the specter of explosives, all liquids and electronics will must be taken out of baggage and scanned individually. As well as, liquids must 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 call lens answer. As standard, these liquids and typical electronics could be put in your checked baggage with no challenge.
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 treatment). When you match into these classes, you need to test prematurely with the airport, and in the event you’re taking treatment with you then it’s possible you’ll want a health care provider’s be aware.
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. When you’re in any doubt concerning the guidelines, test along with your airline and the airport concerned near the time you’ve got touring.
Lastly, a be aware on one thing that is not altering, at the least 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 concept has been mentioned, however in the intervening time there isn’t any single measurement customary.
