The Government will lift the one cabin-bag rule at UK airports from January 7, but the restriction will not end at many airports for weeks or months.
Airports will have to apply individually to the Department for Transport for permission to lift the restriction and must prove they have the new technology, increased staff or changed procedures to cope with additional bags without compromising security.
All the other restrictions on liquids and size of bags will remain.
Transport secretary Ruth Kelly announced the move in a written statement to Parliament today, saying: “The new approach will be introduced progressively as airports are ready to handle the extra capacity.
“We are inviting each airport to submit plans to take advantage of new technology, operational innovations and unexploited capacity in the system. I hope to see rapid progress across the country.”