Passengers flying from Munich Airport should continue to observe the current hand luggage restrictions for liquids. Although the European Union has approved relaxations of these rules, they cannot yet be implemented at Munich Airport.
For the second half of the holiday period, the nearly 20-year-old regulations remain fully in force across the airport, as confirmed by the Upper Bavarian regional government to BR24. While the EU has given the green light for change, technical adjustments are still delaying the rollout.
The current rule for hand luggage remains unchanged: liquids may only be carried in containers of up to 100 milliliters. These must be packed in a resealable, transparent plastic bag with a maximum capacity of one liter.
This means that items such as shampoo, sunscreen, or disinfectant must still be poured into smaller containers or purchased in travel-size packaging. Otherwise, passengers risk having to surrender them at security checkpoints.
The liquid restrictions were introduced back in 2006, after a terrorist plot involving liquid explosives disguised in beverage bottles was uncovered in the United Kingdom. However, technology has advanced since then. State-of-the-art CT scanners are now able to examine luggage from multiple angles and detect liquid explosives with high precision.
These scanners are already installed at Munich Airport – fully in Terminal 2 and partially in Terminal 1. In principle, this would make it possible to lift the liquid restrictions at upgraded checkpoints. The EU, which had temporarily requested further technical evaluations, has now also approved their use.
Nevertheless, before the change can be implemented, the software must be adapted. The Upper Bavarian government, responsible for security checks, does not want to carry out the transition during peak holiday travel in order to guarantee smooth operations. Initial tests have already started and are currently being evaluated.
Travelers who still wish to carry larger containers must continue to pack them in checked baggage or purchase them after passing through security at a duty-free shop.
The new CT scanners are not only intended to enable relaxed liquid rules but also to make security checks faster and more efficient overall. According to a government spokesperson, up to 500 passengers per hour can be screened at a dual checkpoint lane – significantly more than with conventional systems. The process is also less stressful for travelers, since certain items such as laptops no longer need to be removed from hand luggage.
Munich Airport is expected to be fully equipped with the new CT scanners by the end of 2026. Installation in Terminal 2 was completed in spring 2025. At that time, Bavaria’s Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter (CSU) also announced that the airports in Nuremberg and Memmingen would soon be equipped with the same technology.
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