Navigating Airport Security Procedures

Travellers flying out of the Edinburgh airport (EDI) may find passing through security a bit faster than they are used to due to new security protocols being introduced there.

Thanks to a £24 million (roughly 44.5 million CAD) upgrade that saw two lanes and eight scanners added to passenger screening, travellers will avoid being subjected to the same rules we have become used to. With the new scanning technology, removing large electronics from carry-on bags and the need to limit yourself to 100mL liquid containers will become a thing of the past. The new liquid limit? Two litres.

That means people flying out of the Scottish capital will be able to pack a big water bottle (although metal water bottles must be empty), or even a bottle of wine or two. It’s a major shift in what travellers have become accustomed to.

"A whole generation of travellers have only known the 100mL rule to be the case, so it really is a momentous day as we become the first airport in Scotland to lift the rule since it was introduced in 2006," Gordon Dewar, chief executive of Edinburgh Airport told the BBC. "The change allows more flexibility for passengers to take liquids through security, all while maintaining and improving our high safety levels through the use of 3D technology."

As of yesterday (July 7, 2025) the airport in Birmingham, UK (BHX) also introduced similar new rules. Bear in mind though, if you are connecting through an airport that requires you to pass through security again, the same liquid allowance won’t apply and you may face having to surrender your big bottle.

Changing Requirements

Changing requirements at airport security are rolling out differently at different airports, leading to some passenger confusion. For example, new scanners being piloted in Quebec City (YQB) and Halifax Stansfield (YHZ) mean travellers don’t have to take large electronics out of their hand luggage, but only if they are going through the lane with the new scanner. 

Reports out of the U.S. indicate the requirement to take off your shoes at the security checkpoint may be coming to an end too. 

To avoid frustration (as much as possible) travellers should bear in mind that rules vary from airport to airport and according to security needs. If an airport is under a heightened level of security for any reason, it’s likely every passenger will face closer scrutiny, regardless of how they were screened previously. 

To ease the way, treat each interaction with airport screening agents like a new one. What happened “last time” has no bearing on this time. The two litre bottle of shampoo you brought from Edinburgh might not make the next flight.

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