January 26, 2026
Pour One Out (No Ziplock)
Heathrow Drops the Liquids Rule
Heathrow lets big bottles fly — AI shade, battery drama
TLDR: Heathrow ditched the 100ml liquid rule and lets laptops stay in bags thanks to 3D scanners. Commenters cheered the convenience, slammed “AI-written” coverage, and argued about battery bans and safety tech—celebrating faster lines while side-eyeing what other airports (and the U.S.) will do next.
Heathrow just nuked the 100ml liquid rule, and the internet is popping corks. Travelers can now breeze through London’s mega-hub with full-size shampoo, sunscreen, and even drinks in their carry-ons—up to 2 liters. Laptops stay in the bag too. The secret sauce? CT scanners (that’s hospital-style 3D imaging) that see inside your bag so you don’t have to unpack the kitchen sink. Heathrow says it’ll speed lines and ditch millions of plastic bags. Cue the memes: “Pour one out for the ziplock,” “My shampoo finally gets a seat,” and the inevitable “Brits chugging a liter of OJ at the gate.”
But the comments are where it got wild. One user came in hot with “Blatant AI author” and linked a BBC piece, turning the thread into a mini media war. Another went full dystopia: if batteries were standardized, airports would “make you buy them past security” for “safety”—aka a cash grab. Safety nerds pushed back, praising smarter screening like density checks and nitrate detection, while others pointed to Asia’s stricter vibe: South Korean airlines banning power bank use in flight. And of course, the U.S. still clings to 3-1-1 (that’s 3.4 ounces per container in a quart bag), sparking bets on whether TSA will ever let the liquids live free. Convenience vs. caution, sustainability vs. “airport upsell”—this thread had it all, with Heathrow sipping victory while the comments brewed drama.
Key Points
- •Heathrow ended carry-on liquids limits and removal of large electronics across all terminals on January 23, 2026.
- •Liquids can remain in bags and are allowed in containers up to 2 liters; plastic liquids bags are no longer required.
- •The change is enabled by a full rollout of CT scanners, which provide 3D imaging and improved detection over 2D X-ray.
- •Operational benefits include fewer stoppages, fewer tray-handling steps, and expected sustainability gains from eliminating single-use bags.
- •In contrast, TSA’s 3-1-1 rule still applies in the U.S.; ending it would require broad CT deployment, standardized procedures, and staffing adjustments.