Hello and welcome to today's independent travel podcast with me, Simon Calder.

It's Wednesday the 5th of June, and there is yet more to tell you about aviation security

and in particular how a third category of rules for liquids aerosols

has been created this took me by surprise this morning well let me spin back and

tell you about aviation security an industry in which I have worked, so therefore I know a little of which I speak.

Of course, aviation security involved in response to a number of tragedies and also a number of attempted attacks.

And one of those was the so-called liquid bomb plot of 2006,

in which the idea was that terrorists would smuggle the ingredients for a bomb on board an aircraft.

They would assemble the improvised explosive device on board and detonate it,

bringing down the aircraft, the passengers and the crew. Naturally, the aviation industry

introduced very quickly as a temporary measure rules put in place to try to ensure this

couldn't happen by effectively limiting very strictly the amount of liquids aerosols and gels known as

lags that could be allowed through the scanner. That meant, of course, a great deal of

kerfuffle. I remember early on after it was introduced, huge queues, an awful lot of people having

an awful lot of stuff confiscated. And you kind of think that after 18 years we've got used to the idea, but I'm afraid still time and again people are turning up with liquids which are too large to take through security.

In 2019, the UK's travelling public were told, look, it will all be fine. Major UK airports are going to

install new kit by 2022. That will mean that you won't need to have your liquid scan separately.

There won't be a limit on the amount that you

can take through. Oh and by the way those laptops and tablet computers will be able to remain

in your bag. How fantastic we all thought. COVID happened. Airport saw effectively their

businesses in many cases almost totally disappear, at which point, well, they were given an extension.

The first one, of course, Boris Johnson was the Prime Minister who promised all this.

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