Call it a bad April Fool's Day joke or standard bureaucracy, but the ban on large amounts of liquids that passengers can carry with them on their flights from the UK will remain in place for the time being. The ban was supposed to have been eased this month in conjunction with an EU initiative to relax restrictions on liquids.

Authorities in the UK were to ease restrictions on carry-on liquids by April, 2011 as part of a multi-phased approach to an eventual lifting of the ban. The EU has been targeting a European-wide lifting of the liquids ban by 2013 and 29 April 2011 is the date for the first phase of implementation. This first phase will allow passengers on long-haul flights from outside the EU to carry duty-free liquids onto connecting flights at EU airports.

UK Transport Secretary Philip Hammond informed airport owners across the UK that the ban will continue in place for at least another six months due to security concerns even though new EU regulations will take effect as planned. If this seems confusing enough, consider the fact that France and Italy are considering ignoring the EU deadline for the easing of restrictions on duty-free liquids.

The lifting of the liquids ban has been largely dependent on the availability of detection equipment capable of sniffing out liquid explosives. This equipment is still being tested and no significant deployment has been announced. The Airport Operators Association, which looks after the interests of airports across the UK, has warned that the devices are not quite ready to be deployed, hinting that the easing of the liquids ban is premature.

The concern now is not over the decision to keep or ease the ban (its eventual demise seems certain), but over the confusion that will likely ensue as policies continue to differ between countries. Your ability to take your duty-free liquids onto your connecting flight will depend on where you are taking such flight. That is until the EU rules take effect and all member nations honor them. Even across the Atlantic, the U.S. is still mulling over the consequences of allowing carry-on liquids coming from Europe onto domestic U.S. flights.

What had been good news for passengers just a few months ago has evolved into a cloud of uncertainty as travelers try and figure out whether they can take their liquids on their next flight or not. If we are to say goodbye to the 100ml (3.4oz) bottles of liquids and gels we are currently limited to, we need the certainty that any detection equipment being considered has been tested and it works, and that your carry-on liquids can travel with you all the way home, not just part of the way.