EU flight guidelines have been revised to limit the volume of liquids allowed in hand luggage. From September 2024, travellers from Dutch airports will be limited to carrying a total of one litre in liquids, which must be stored in containers no larger than 100 millilitres, in their carry-on luggage. 

International standard for liquids in hand baggage at Dutch airports

After CT scanners were introduced in Dutch airports in 2021, the rules for hand luggage were relaxed. Travellers no longer had to pack their liquids in small bottles or take their electronics out of their bags when going through security. 

New guidelines from the European Commission mean that Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, as well as other airports in Rotterdam, The Hague and Eindhoven, will now go back to the international standard of a maximum of 100 millilitres of liquid per container from September this year. Other rules, such as those regarding electronics, will remain the same.

According to European Commission documents, the regulation has been introduced across the EU as a temporary measure to maintain the security of air travel while further tests are carried out on the CT scanners to ensure they are safe.

Time spent at security checkpoints in airports could lengthen

Despite the digital passport system experiment at Schiphol being successful in halving the time that travellers spend at airport checks, fliers could end up spending more time waiting in security lines due to the new liquid regulations.

The Airports Council International has voiced concerns about the liquid restrictions reducing the passenger throughput at security checkpoints, “thus erasing the main benefit accruing to passengers from C3 scanners.” Additional staff will be required to check carry-on luggage to limit the strain on operations. 

The airports have said that they are taking several measures to inform passengers about the adjusted rules including information about stations where travellers can empty their bottles of water.