corporate-wage-slave

The issue here is the definition of "tablets", which in the UK (mostly) and rest of the EU (mostly) need to be removed from baggage and placed clearly separated and flat on the scan tray. Broadly there have been no changes in this area for 13 years. However what is a tablet? The DfT have given much more detailed guidance and to cut a long story short, some e-books are considered tablets, such as the Fire range, and some are not - due to their size mainly. There is a further complication that some older e-books have a large but thin battery on their base which could be something of interest.

Manchester processes 30 million passengers, and there really isn't time, people and space for the security staff to engage in conversation or even a brief discussion on the ins-and-outs of a policy over which they have no control. Moreover it is not realistic for fine-tuning tablet sorting, no one is going to dig out the DfT guidelines for you. Even if 0.0001% of passengers challenge staff (and the number who try is much higher) then rapidly the system, such as it is, will fall to pieces. This does not, of course, excuse rudeness, but rudeness is a subtle thing, different people have different sensitivities. There is, however, no point trying to challenge the process, it is what it is.

I imagine your motives in asking if there have been any changes is purely inquisitive and innocent, but this isn't an unusual challenge that staff will get, and it can be linked with the time-old statement "but this bag has worked all over the world". As I say there isn't scope for this dialogue at large airports and it's frankly a waste of time as to what comes out of it. Hence the system is based on brusque compliance to keep the process running.

In short it really is best to follow instructions and by all means contact the airport afterwards to give feedback.