The restriction to one item of hand luggage was eased at most British airports yesterday, but there was confusion at some as passengers arrived to find the rule still in place.

Twenty-two airports, including Heathrow, Glasgow and Manchester, have eased hand luggage restrictions, but others, including Gatwick, Luton, Liverpool, Leeds Bradford, Bristol, East Midlands, Coventry, Bournemouth and Exeter, will continue to enforce the one-bag rule. Their operators have not been able to convince the Department for Transport that they can process the extra items without compromising security.

Passengers have been subject to the one-bag rule since security was tightened in August 2006. Rules preventing large amounts of liquids being taken on board are still in place.

Despite the relaxation, air passengers must still abide by the conditions laid down by individual airlines, many of which, including easyJet, are sticking with the one-bag rule.

Passengers at Gatwick, the country’s second busiest airport, were irritated when they learnt on arrival that the one-bag rule had not been lifted. Ian Collister, 71, who was travelling with his wife, Diana, said: “We’ve just travelled here from India where there are no restrictions on luggage or liquids. But to travel to where we live on the Isle of Man it’s belts off, shoes off, one piece of luggage, everything.”

Jay Gibson, 28, who was helping his mother to board a flight to the Liberian capital, Monrovia, said: “Luckily I found out about the special rules for Gatwick by checking the airline website this morning.”

Those who could not squeeze all they were carrying into one bag had to pay extra to check more luggage into the hold or put bags in left luggage at a cost of £6.50 per item per night.

As the day wore on it became a familiar sight to see people repacking their hand luggage outside the security cordons. Matters were not helped by confusion among airport staff as to how the rules should be applied. Some passengers were told at check-in that their hand luggage met weight restrictions but were stopped at security as it was deemed too large.

Ian Slater, 29, who was travelling to Edinburgh and his wife, Kirsty, said: “It would be all right if everyone knew the rules. We were lucky we had extra space in our larger bags to repack.”

Cabin crew at Virgin Atlantic have called off planned strikes. Thousands of members of the union Unite had been due to stage two 48-hour walkouts after rejecting a two-year wage deal worth 4.8 per cent in the first year and the rate of inflation in the second.

Sir Richard Branson had made clear that the pay offer would not be increased. The agreement remains the same, plus a commitment to review aspects of cabin crew pay next year.

Check-in checklist

— Passengers should check their entitlement with their airline before leaving home or at check-in

— Bags larger than 56cm long, 45cm high and 25cm deep must be checked in

— Passengers can take liquids as hand luggage providing that they are in individual containers of no more than 100ml. The containers must be placed in a single transparent plastic bag

— More information is available on the Department for Transport website www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/airtravel/airportsecurity

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