Say Goodbye to the 100ml Rule: EU Airports Are Finally Letting Your Shampoo Fly Free

Say Goodbye to the 100ml Rule: EU Airports Are Finally Letting Your Shampoo Fly Free

Raise your travel-sized bottle of conditioner in celebration — after nearly two decades of squeezing your toiletries into doll-sized containers and praying security doesn’t bin your face cream, the European Union is finally bringing airport security into the 21st century. That’s right: the infamous 100ml liquid rule is on its way out, and honestly, it’s about time.

The Airport Rule We All Love to Hate Is (Mostly) Dead

Since 2006, we’ve all lived under the tyranny of the 100ml liquid restriction. Got a big bottle of sunscreen? Too bad. Want to bring more than a sip of water through security? LOL, no. Even toothpaste — glorious, boring toothpaste — had to pass through in travel-sized form, or else face the trash can of doom.

The rule was introduced following a foiled terrorist plot involving liquid explosives, and for safety reasons, it absolutely made sense at the time. But 19 years later, we’re still unpacking our toiletries into little ziplock bags like it’s some weird pre-flight ritual. Enough is enough, and the EU has heard our collective groans.

Need assistance with groups and incentives in Europe? Contact one of these fantastic DMCs!

Enter: Fancy Scanners That Can Actually See Stuff

What’s changed? Technology, baby. EU airports are rolling out brand-new 3D CT scanners that are so advanced, they can detect liquid explosives without you needing to pull every lip balm out of your hand luggage. These CT scanners are basically the same ones hospitals use — except instead of finding broken bones, they’re hunting for banned substances in your body wash.

These futuristic machines generate super-detailed, rotatable 3D images of your bag’s contents. That means airport security can spot dodgy items instantly and from all angles, without asking you to unpack your artisanal olive oil in front of a queue of 500 people.

Who’s First?

Italy, for one, isn’t messing around. Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport and Milan’s Malpensa are already living the no-100ml dream. Meanwhile, airports in Amsterdam, Dublin, and several others across Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands are revving their engines to join the liquid revolution by early 2026.

Other EU countries are still ironing out the details (read: budgets, staff training, and “waiting for that one IT guy to update the software”), but the movement is in full swing. Rome, Milan, Amsterdam and Dublin are on board.

The Catch (You Knew This Was Coming)

Now, don’t go packing your full-sized shampoo just yet. The rule hasn’t officially lifted at every EU airport — and for now, you still have to obey the 100ml limit unless your departure airport says otherwise.

Translation: check your airport’s website before you roll up to security with your entire bathroom cabinet.

Why This Actually Matters (Beyond Saving Your Moisturiser)

This isn’t just about making your carry-on life less annoying. The switch to CT scanners is also expected to:

• Speed up security lines (no more fumbling with plastic bags)
• Reduce plastic waste from all those single-use bags
• Prove that airport security can evolve without sacrificing safety
• Help you actually fit everything into your cabin bag without playing Liquid Tetris

And yes, it will make family travel easier too. No more awkwardly explaining to your toddler why juice is a threat to national security.

The Future Looks… Less Leaky

While full implementation may take until 2026 or beyond, the trajectory is clear: EU air travel is becoming smarter, safer, and way less soggy (looking at you, burst lotion tubes).

With the EU leading the way, other regions are taking notes. The UK is already making moves — Heathrow and Birmingham are on board — and the U.S. and Asia are keeping a close eye on things too.

So the next time you’re stuck in line at security, staring wistfully at your full-size body wash, just remember: the end is near. And it smells like a litre of coconut conditioner finally making it through the scanner.