Good news for the comfort of those traveling by plane usually does not last long. After the initial enthusiasm upon learning that in 2024 it will no longer be mandatory to remove liquids from carry-on luggage at security checkpoints comes the fine print: it doesn’t matter the dozens of headlines that claim the opposite, because water bottles (and liquids of more than 100 ml) are still prohibited. Nothing changes for now. Including, of course, the price you have to pay inside the terminal for a bottle of water.
“The liquid regulations are European and do not change.” This is how clear they are from Aena when asked about the developments in security controls at Spanish airports in 2024. A fact that debunks all the information that many media outlets have claimed for months that the limit of 100 is over. ml for liquids when entering the airport.
As confirmed to Comer by this public company that manages the country’s airports, what will change in 2024 is the way in which we will pass access control to the terminal. “The new EDSCB scanners will allow you to pass the security filter without having to remove liquids and electronic devices from your carry-on suitcase. In this way, the passage through the controls will be more agile and fluid,” they point out.
Something that was already communicated months ago, although there is still no exact date for the incorporation of this new generation of scanners in security controls, first in Madrid and Barcelona and then in other airports. “The new hand luggage control equipment will be implemented progressively,” is the only information available for now.
Therefore, although the liquids do not have to be removed, it will still be prohibited to carry bottles of more than 100 ml or with a total of more than one liter. Changes in sight? In the United Kingdom there was talk at the end of 2022 of relaxing the rules that came into force in 2006 but for now no steps have been taken in this regard.
In the case of the European Union, those searching for possible changes in regulations will end up in the news that, citing Spanish media, erroneously relates these new scanners to the end of the 100 milliliter rule. Although many experts point out that this is a first step in this direction and that once this technology is implemented in enough airports it is the logical step, for now this is not the case.
A jug of cold water, never better said, for those who started 2024 with the hope of not only not having to take things out of their carry-on luggage at the security check, but also being able to go through with a bottle of water and thus avoid the prices that They are styled inside the terminals.
Although it is a very old topic, at a time when bottled water has an increasingly worse image and when, at least in theory, the jug of tap water has to make its way into the hospitality industry, airports seem to be oblivious to all this: water is priced at the price of extra virgin olive oil not only on planes, but also before boarding.
In fact, the 2.95 euros that Vueling asks on board or the 2.50 from Iberia for a bottle of water can be perfectly exceeded in some stores or restaurants at airports. A classic in this regard is the tweet between surprised and indignant of someone who goes to the checkout with a 75cl bottle of Evian water and ends up paying close to 4 euros.
In March 2018, Aena tried to put an end to these skyrocketing prices by forcing vending machines and airport stores to offer a small bottle of water with a maximum price of one euro. The joy for travelers did not last long: after 2020 and 2021 with few flights, in 2022 a Supreme Court ruling that was not directly related to the case served as a springboard to end this price limitation. The results are well known.
But why is water so expensive? There is no single answer, but sources close to the airport sector give a couple of interesting clues. Beyond the rent of the premises, which is always pointed out as the main cause, the complex logistics of distribution and storage at airports also makes any product, such as water bottles, very expensive.
They also remember that in any restaurant at the airport, with its logical price variations, a bottle of water costs the same or similar to that in an establishment in the city center.
But returning to the travelers’ side, taking into account that hydration is especially important on air journeys and that on short flights complimentary water is no longer offered in almost any company, looking for cheap water at the airport can be a good pass. time before boarding.
The simplest, most economical and ecological solution is to take an empty bottle through security control and refill it inside. Depending on the city where we are, the quality of the tap water will be better or worse, but more and more airports have fountains – normally near the bathrooms – designed precisely for this and where there is cold water.
What if we have forgotten the bottle? She will have to pay, of course. Each airport is different, but, in general, vending machines offer cheaper water than many stores and fast food chains are also somewhat less expensive than other options, although you should be prepared to pay at least 1.8 euros per a half liter bottle. In Barcelona, ??by the way, they tell us that at Natura they have water for one euro.