Passengers at EU Airports Not Allowed over 100ml of Liquids on Cabin Luggage

Scope of the New 100ml Restriction

• Thread clarifies that 100ml has long been the default liquid limit per container in EU cabin baggage.
• Some airports with new “C3” scanners had relaxed this rule, allowing larger containers (e.g., Schiphol, Arlanda, London City), but must now revert to 100ml from Sept 1.
• Official EU communication describes this as a temporary restriction due to technical performance issues in the currently certified scanner configurations, not a new threat.

Technical Reasons vs. Politics

• Several comments infer a software or configuration issue with the new scanners, based on EU wording.
• Others speculate (explicitly as rumor) that the rollback is partly to align with non‑EU partners and because some US-made scanners may be weaker than competitors’.
• No definitive explanation is provided in the thread; ultimate cause remains unclear.

Water, Refill Stations, and Bathrooms

• Some argue the 4€ water bottle is the real driver and that many European airports lack post-security refill stations.
• Others counter with personal experience that “every airport I’ve been to” has such stations; this is challenged as anecdotal.
• Specific debate over Hamburg airport: some insist there are refill points; others say they’ve never found them. Links and map directions are provided.
• Tap water from bathroom sinks is contentious: some see it as safe and heavily regulated; others worry about hygiene or bad taste and “dark patterns” like low taps or warm-only water.

Inconsistency and “Security Theater”

• Strong frustration with arbitrary enforcement: empty 500ml bottles confiscated, nearly empty toothpaste tossed because original volume >100ml, differing rules on shoes/electronics even within the same airport.
• Several comments argue airport security is largely theater, citing high failure rates in tests (US TSA example) and the ease of assembling multiple 100ml reagents.
• Some point out that security bottlenecks create dense crowds; an attack at security could be more lethal than one on a plane.

Liquid Explosives and Risk Perception

• Debate over whether liquid explosives are a realistic threat or “fantasy.”
• Others argue that even failed or rare attempts can justify large defensive costs from a terrorist’s perspective, by inflicting long-term economic damage.

Travel Alternatives and Workarounds

• Some travelers opt for long-distance trains to avoid security hassles entirely.
• Minor tips and workarounds appear (e.g., frozen water in the US, perfume decanting), but their applicability in the EU is unclear.