New scanners being trialled at UK airports could mean that passengers will no longer face tough restrictions on the amount of liquids they can carry in hand luggage.

The CT scanners produce a more detailed 3D image of bags than the exiting x-ray machines currently used at airports worldwide.

This means that passengers might be able to leave their liquids in their hand luggage, rather than being required to remove them and squeeze them into a single, small plastic bag.

However, it’s not clear if passengers will be allowed to carry bottles bigger than100ml, or if the quantity of bottles they’ll be allowed to take in hand luggage will increase.

Heathrow has been testing one CT scanner in Terminal 2 this year, allowing passengers using that security lane to leave liquids plus laptops and other electronic equipment in their hand luggage. However, for the time being, the 100ml limit remains in place for all passengers.

The airport’s Chief Executive John Holland-Kaye told The Times the airport was slowly rolling out the CT scanners, suggesting there was a deadline from the Department of Transport (DfT) of mid-2024 for the CT scanners to replace x-ray machines.

“By then the normal passenger experience will be that liquids stay in bags,” he told The Times.

The DfT told Travel Gossip the article in The Times was speculative, adding: “Passengers at UK airports must not carry liquid containers larger than 100ml through security and both liquids and electronics should be taken out of cabin bags at airport security checkpoints.”