UK airports ban powders in carry-on luggage, in line with US and New Zealand security

New restrictions would see all powders limited to just 12 ounces (56 grams) on outbound UK flights. Photo / Mark Wilson, Getty

New restrictions would see all powders limited to just 12 ounces (56 grams) bringing the UK into line with measures in place by New Zealand, Australian and US airports, reports the Daily Mail's Lara Keay

Makeup, baby powder and coffee could soon be banned from hand luggage on all flights leaving the UK.

Under new government plans passengers could be forced to put spices and protein powder in the hold, reports The Times.

The restrictions would bring the UK in line with those in place in New Zealand, the US and Australia, where similar bans were imposed last month.

Strict rules were brought in there after a foiled plot to blow up an Etihad flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi rocked security officials last year.

The ISIS-style plot saw attackers try to get an explosive onto the plane last July, but they were stopped at security.

Britain's new rules would see all powders, which would limit cosmetics and some foods, restricted to just 12 ounces (56 grams). They would also face further security checks later on.

Those rules were brought in 12 years ago in the wake of 9/11 and other attempted terror attacks.

There are fears the new restrictions will confuse passengers and create longer queues at airports, which are already rife because of Brexit.

British subjects are worried the new blue, non-EU, passports will cause havoc at border checks in the UK and abroad.

The Department for Transport refused to comment on the Times of London's revelation about new hand luggage restrictions.

A spokesman told the newspaper: "It is for each country to determine its own security measures based on its own assessments. We work closely with all our international partners to keep aviation security under constant review."

Mils Hills, an associate professor in risk, resilience and corporate security at the University of Northampton, added: "We were lucky that this plot was disrupted and doesn't seem to have been too clever.

"In itself, these extra restrictions are not going to create a lot of disruption at airport security but it has the potential to feed into general concerns by the public about the safety of flying."