Fears of summer travel chaos & confusion as UK airports ‘set to MISS deadline’ for installing new scanning technology

FEARS are growing around summer travel chaos as major UK airports look likely to miss a deadline for installing new technology.

The scrapping of a strict hand luggage rule was first announced in 2022, with all UK airports to follow suit by next year.

The new regulations will mean Brits no longer have to follow the 100ml liquid rules, and can take more than one small plastic bag in their carry on as well as keep them in their bags at security.

And while some airports look likely to get rid of the strict regulations on time, others may not.

Insiders say major airports like  Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester may not have the new technology in place by the deadline in June 2024.

And they claim this could cause havoc for jetsetters in summer next year.

But, airports claim they'll do all they can to try to get the tech over the line.

One source told : “It’s going to be a struggle for the big airports.

“One of the biggest issues they face is fitting the new scanners and retraining staff without impacting the flow of passengers.”

An aviation source added: “Messaging is going to be the biggest issue.

"At airports where there are a mix of machines it makes sense to tell passengers to only come with 100ml liquids.

"It will be good fortune for those that find themselves on CT lanes and can keep everything in their bags.”

Manchester Airports Group, which includes Stansted, said: “We continue to make good progress at our airports on the introduction of new security screening equipment, as part of the UK-wide programme.

“This is a complex programme of work requiring the expansion of terminal facilities, while at the same time maintaining operations during construction.

"We are rolling out the new technology lane by lane at Manchester and London Stansted airports, with several new lanes already in operation.”

Heathrow said that it was spending £1billion on the upgrades, and that it was going to focus on on delivering the programme as “quickly as practically possible”.

Gatwick said it would have made massive progress by June, but would complete the programme in early 2025.