Since the murderous attacks on the Twin Towers on September 11th 2001, airport security has never been the same and security protocol is updated and changed with every new threat.

If you are flying abroad from any of the airports in the UK, then firstly it is important to arrive in plenty of time as security queues can be lengthy, particularly during busy holiday periods. Most airlines flying to European destinations expect you to arrive with a minimum of an hour before your flight is due to leave. If you are travelling further afield, then you need to arrive at least 2 hours beforehand.

Travellers are only allowed to take limited quantities of liquids (up to 100ml) through security in their hand luggage. These include items such as drinks, perfumes, cosmetics, toothpaste, sun tan lotion and aerosol sprays. Passengers must place all their “liquid” items in a sealed transparent bag as they pass through security control.

Since July 2014, electronic items including laptops, hand-held games consoles, mobile phones, cameras, etc should be separated from the rest of your hand-luggage and placed in a separate tray. It is important that any of these devices are able to be switched on if a member of security demands it, so make sure all your electronic items are fully charged beforehand.

All passengers must expect to be patted down by a security officer before walking through the metal detector door frames. Most people will also need to take off their shoes and place these in a tray with their hand luggage bags.

Anything which may be considered as a weapon, however small, should not be packed in hand luggage. Passengers are advised to check that they are not carrying items like scissors, razor blades, paring knives or sharp tweezers as they are likely to be confiscated during the security procedures. Some airlines may confiscate cigarette lighters.

Once you have passed through security control, passengers are allowed to buy drinks and toiletries, etc, in quantities larger than 100ml, from any of the shops in the departure lounges.