The European Union has mandated all airports to reinstate restrictions on carrying liquids. Effective from September 1, 2024, passengers will be limited to transporting no more than 100 ml of liquids, including aerosol and gel containers, in their hand luggage. This comes after the European Commission previously approved the removal of liquid restrictions, prompting several airports to install special C3 scanners capable of inspecting the contents of luggage. The presence of these scanners had allowed passengers to carry liquids without restrictions and keep them alongside electronic devices such as laptops.
The new restriction is expected to impose significant operational burdens and impact the experience of passengers and airports that have adopted this technology. The acquisition of C3 scanners can be nearly eight times more expensive than regular machines, and their maintenance costs are also four times higher. Airports that were early adopters of this new technology are now facing considerable operational and financial losses.
Several airports in Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Malta have already installed C3 scanners, as have six smaller airports in the United Kingdom.
