Staff Reporter
REGULAR air travellers have long been obliged to carry only small amounts of liquids with them on flights, after security restrictions were imposed way back in the 2000s in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York and other attempted bombings using disguised explosives.
In recent years, however, high-tech C3 scanners have been installed in a number of airports across the European Union, allowing security staff to check hand luggage for potentially dangerous items without the need to remove electronic devices from bags nor limit the amount of liquid each passenger is carrying.
Unfortunately for travellers, the progress made is about to take a step backward, after the European Commission decided it will temporarily enforce new restrictions on liquids screening at EU airports from September 1, 2024.
In a statement published by the EU’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, the Commission said that any airport security system currently allowing passengers to travel with more than 100ml of liquids will have to revert to the old system.
“This precautionary measure is not in response to any new threat but addresses a temporary technical issue, undertaken in alignment with the EU’s international partners,” the statement said.
Spanish airports such as Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat – which account for 40% of air traffic in the country, according to the Huffpost – were already using these systems and as such will be affected.
The reason for the change, the Huffpost reported, is that the scanners are not yet good enough at detecting explosive materials.
“The Commission is collaborating closely with Member States and the European Civil Aviation Conference to develop swift technical solutions, ensuring the highest standards of safety and security in air travel,” the statement continued, providing at least some hope for air travellers that the new system could return sooner rather than later.
