According to Travel Weekly (registration required) the liquid ban will be with us for a while:
Kathy Kraninger, director of the Dept. of Homeland Security’s Office of Screening Coordination, said she thinks the restrictions are “here for the foreseeable future, at least.”
Responding to a delegate’s question following her speech to the Association of Corporate Travel Executives’ conference here earlier this week, Kraninger said the DHS has not identified technology up to the task of identifying liquid explosive materials.
Automated technology may not be available, but the Brits have resorted to litmus paper to randomly test carry-on liquids.
Thanks to the liquid rules not checking luggage is a greater challenge than ever. For the latest rules:TSA (USA) and DfT (UK). Links to our posts on the liquid issue: UK litmus test, worldwide rules, 3-1-1 tips, TSA info with link to downloadable PDF.