A wine lover’s guide to navigating hand luggage rules in 2025
If you’ve ever silently wept at the security checkpoint, forced to abandon that luscious bottle of Barolo or that artisanal gin you’d planned to share at home, rejoice (sort of).
The long-standing 100ml liquid limit in hand luggage, the bane of sommeliers, spirits enthusiasts, and the odd olive oil aficionado was almost consigned to history in 2024 — before a last-minute plot twist.
Picture it: a harmonious world where tourists could meander through Tuscany, Bordeaux, or Rioja, tuck a bottle of local nectar into their carry-on, and glide through security with smug satisfaction. Such utopia is tantalizingly close, thanks to new CT X-ray technology, which theoretically allows larger liquid volumes to bypass the usual plastic bag purgatory. But, alas, we are not there yet.
CT technology
Some EU airports — Rome and Amsterdam among the vanguard — have trialled these high-tech scanners. Reports were promising: liquids stayed snug in bags, laptops remained undisturbed, and security queues moved faster than a chilled Riesling on a summer’s day. But the European Commission has, for now, corked the festivities. A technical issue means the EU has reinstated the 100ml limit, leaving oenophiles again clutching their plastic bags.
A patchwork of rules
Closer to home, the UK’s rollout of this technology resembled a temperamental fermentation process — some airports got it right, while others… didn’t. By mid-2024, smaller airports like London City, Teesside, and Leeds-Bradford had successfully scrapped the 100ml limit, inspiring a brief golden age for carry-on wines. But Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester were left behind, mired in construction woes and supply chain headaches.
Cue a sudden government U-turn in June 2024: even those airports that had embraced the change had to revert to the old rules. The result? Chaos, as airports scrambled to reintroduce plastic bags and passengers mourned their liquid freedoms.
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What this means for your holiday tipple
For the moment, it’s best to play it safe. Unless you’re checking your luggage — where wine, spirits, and other delightful liquids can flow freely — you’ll need to abide by the old rules: no more than 100ml per container, all snugly zipped in a clear plastic bag. But take heart. Checked luggage remains the saviour of wine regions everywhere, allowing you to haul home full-sized bottles of local treasures without so much as a raised eyebrow at the baggage carousel. And if you’re unsure about what’s allowed, airlines and airport websites remain your trusty guides.
Tips for thirsty travellers
Pack light, pack right: Bring a spare plastic bag if your return airport insists on the 100ml rule. Nothing ruins a romantic getaway like being forced to chug your airport Champagne (arguably).
Know before you go: Airport policies remain inconsistent. Check the rules for both your departure and arrival airports — because what’s permissible at Bristol might not fly at Barcelona, including whether you can carry a corkscrew (if it has a blade, it must go in the hold).
Checked luggage is your friend: If you’ve found a local vintage worth its weight in euros, pack it securely in your checked bag. And maybe throw in some bubble wrap for good measure. Better still, inflatable bottle protectors are available to order online for as little as 20p each.
So, dear traveller, while the liquid rule evolution may be stuck in its awkward adolescence, there’s hope that one day soon, we can breeze through security with a full-bodied Shiraz in tow. Until then, embrace the quirks of air travel, and remember: when life gives you 100ml limits, check a suitcase.
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