Edinburgh Airport has lifted the 100ml rule for liquids being carried in hand luggage.

It will now be possible to take containers of up to two litres through security, and they will not need to be removed from bags.

The change comes after an extra two lanes and eight scanners costing £24m were installed at the international hub.

Edinburgh Airport is the first airport in Scotland to lift the rule. Birmingham airport has also lifted the rule.

There will be no limit on the number of containers that passengers can carry in their hand luggage, but metal water bottles will need to be emptied beforehand.

Items such as bottles of wine or large water bottles can also be taken on in cabin bags.

Passengers using the airport are also able to keep large electricals, such as iPads, tablets and laptops, in their hand luggage.

Gordon Dewar, chief executive of Edinburgh Airport, said it would allow passengers to move through security more easily than they currently do.

But he said passengers should check security rules at their return destination as other airports may not have moved away from the 100ml limit.

“A whole generation of travellers have only known the 100ml rule to be the case, so it really is a momentous day as we become the first airport in Scotland to lift the rule since it was introduced in 2006,” he said.

“The change allows more flexibility for passengers to take liquids through security, all while maintaining and improving our high safety levels through the use of 3D technology.”

Passengers at Glasgow and Aberdeen airports can leave liquids and electronics items, such as laptops and tablets, in cabin bags while going through security.

Liquids, which include creams, gels, pastes, sprays and aerosols, can be taken through in containers of up to 100ml in volume without using a plastic bag.

There is no limit on how many 100ml items passengers can bring.

At Inverness and Glasgow Prestwick airports, liquids, laptops and other electronic devices, including hairdryers, cameras and straighteners, must be removed from cabin bags and placed in a tray.

Liquids in a container of 100ml or less should be placed in a sealed 20cm x 20cm, one litre plastic bag.

Each passenger can only take one of these bags.