London’s Heathrow Airports has struggled to manage the number of passengers traveling and instituted a cap on passenger numbers earlier this year and required airlines to restrict how many they transport through the airport.
Now, Emirates has posted a travel update on its website claiming that Heathrow Airport has banned all liquids on carry-on luggage for departing passengers and instructed those transiting through the airport to ditch water bottles and amenity kits.
You can access Emirates here and Heathrow here.
UPDATE:
Heathrow has confirmed that the information below that you can find on the Emirates Travel Update page is incorrect. There is no change in the hand luggage liquid policy.
Emirates Announcement (UPDATE – NOW REMOVED):
Peak travel advisory, restrictions to carriage of liquids in hand baggage
Last updated: 21 November 2022, 04:59 Dubai (GMT+4)
Due to the upcoming holidays, London Heathrow airport is expecting a high number of passengers travelling through the airport.
Airport authorities have mandated restrictions on all liquids carried in hand baggage.
Departing from LHR
Customers cannot carry liquids, creams and gels in their hand baggage. Customers not complying with the restriction might experience additional security checks.
Please arrive at the airport no earlier than 4 hours before the departure of your flight.
Transiting through LHR
Customers will need to go through security checks before boarding a connecting flight. It is advisable not to take along water bottles or amenity kits to avoid delays at these check points, unless the liquids, creams and gels in your possession are within the permitted limits. Please refer to permitted liquid limits here.
Conclusion
Not sure where else Emirates would have received this restriction information than Heathrow Airport? However, I was unable to find any unusual liquid restrictions listed on Heathrow’s website.
If everyone needs to check all liquids, even those complying with the usual limitations, the number of checked bags will significantly increase. Are there enough employees at ground handling companies to manage the increased load?
This reminds me to avoid London’s Heathrow at any cost.