Holidaymakers have hit out at Birmingham Airport as they have been left queuing outside terminals at 4am.
Airline passengers say they have been told to turn up three hours early for flights after confusion over a U-turn on 100ml liquid rules.
The video at the top of this story was shared on X, formerly Twitter, this morning by Express & Star Wolves correspondent Liam Keen who commented: “Absolutely embarrassing from Birmingham Airport with this queue at 4am.”
Another social media user called Russell White said: “Carnage at Birmingham Airport. Three lanes of queuing at 4am.”
Charlotte Ann said: “PSA for anyone worried about travelling from Birmingham Airport at the moment. Joined the queue at 04:45 and was through security by 06:00.”
Russ Cockburn said: “I didn’t think anywhere could be worse than Birmingham Airport for security and I was right. All done and dusted in Rome in four minutes.”
Birmingham Airport has posted fresh advice on liquid rules stating: “The new government directive means passengers can only carry liquids, pastes and gels up to 100ml in their hand luggage. It is imperative that all customers comply with the nationwide rule to ensure a smoother and simpler transition through the airport.”
The airport spent £60m to upgrade its security desks and introduce hi-tech scanners know as Next Generation Security Checkpoints (NGSC), which would have allowed passengers to carry up to two litres.
But last Friday (June 7) the government announced a return to rules predating the tech.
The government stipulation means that passengers at all UK airports are only allowed to carry liquids of no more than 100ml in liquids, pastes and gels in hand luggage.
It said the 100ml restriction was being reintroduced at the six regional sites that had relaxed the rule to “enable further improvements to be made to the new checkpoint systems”.
The move was not in response to a specific threat, it added.
Birmingham Airport has been contacted for comment.