The ban on carrying liquids in hand luggage that has caused much confusion among travellers is to be lifted in two phases, the Guardian reports.
Travellers departing from major airports (those that handle more than ten million passengers per year such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester) will be able to carry greater amounts of liquids in 2012, but the ban will stay in place at smaller airports until 2014. However, smaller airports will be able to lift the restrictions sooner than 2014 if they invest in approved scanners that can detect suspicious liquids.
The newspaper reports that these proposals were discussed at a meeting of security officials from EU countries in Brussels last week. There will be further consultation before the matter is put before the European parliament. The current regulations expire on April 30, 2010.
