Good news: Annoying airport carry-on rule could soon be a thing of the past
Before embarking on an international flight, it is important to be aware of all the rules regarding what you can and can’t pack.
Current rules require liquids, aerosols and gel items to be in containers of 100 millimetres or less and packed in a transparent resealable bag.
Passengers are then required to remove all of these items when going through security as well as any electronic products.
However, new technology means this strict rule may be a little easier to navigate in the future.
London’s Heathrow Airport is trialling the use of 3D X-ray scanners, which allows security to see objects inside bags from all angles.
The UK Department of Transport said the scanners can also detect explosive devices and would ease the strict packing restrictions on passengers.
“If successful, this could lead in future to passengers no longer needing to remove items from hand luggage for screening,” the department said.
Similar 3D scanners are also being trialled in New York’s John F Kennedy Airport and Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.
In the airports trialling the new technology, passengers are still required to remove items from their luggage upon request from security staff.
If the technology comes to Australia, it could alter the recently introduced restrictions on powders on flights.
Last month, a new rule was enforced about how much powder product can be packed in carry-on baggage on international flights.
Items such as baby formula, protein powders, makeup and talcum powder have to be presented separately when going through security.
The rule was made in response to a thwarted bomb plot on an Etihad flight from Sydney last year.