The Department for Transport has dismissed fears of delays at UK airports caused by what it calls “a tiny relaxation” in restrictions on liquids in passengers’ carry-on luggage at the end of April.
The European Union has set a deadline of April 29 for technology to be in place at airports to screen carry-on liquids for transit and transfer passengers. This would allow passengers in transit through EU airports to buy duty-free goods.
However, the DfT points out many transit passengers are already exempt from the restrictions – including those from the US and Canada.
It also insisted there would be no change in restrictions on liquids in carry-on luggage for UK air passengers.
The European Commission has set a deadline of April 2013 for revision of these.
A DfT spokesman told Travel Weekly: “This is an absolute tiny relaxation affecting a minute proportion of passengers. Anyone turning up at a UK airport from May will see no change whatever. It will be business as usual.”