Newly approved airport scanners will allow passengers to carry toiletries and bottles of liquid in their hand luggage within the next 12 months, transport bosses confirmed today.

A complete ban on carrying liquids over 100ml onto aircraft is still in place at airports, but the ruling could be changed by the end of next April after new devices were approved by the Department for Transport.

Airline passengers will still have to remove bottles from their hand luggage to be inspected, but will no longer be banned from carrying liquids in containers larger than 100ml.

The newly-tested and approved airport scanners will be installed at every airport in Britain and the EU by April 2013, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The move will ease the flying experience for passengers previously inconvenienced by lengthy inspections and having to hand over expensive toiletries.

Transport Secretary Phillip Hammond had previously hinted that regulations would be eased, after saying he sympathised with parents with young children who had to taste jars of baby food and drink to prove they were safe.

The new scanners have been tested at numerous airports as part of EU trials.

A Department for Transport spokesperson confirmed devices had been approved, adding it was working with the EU to meet the April 29 deadline on lifting current restrictions.

However, there has been no plans to change the ski carriage charges… These look likely to stay.