New Airport Scanners to Ease Liquid Restrictions
Thursday, May 30th, 2024
What Travellers Need to Know
The UK, Spain and other countries have been exploring the use of advanced scanning equipment at airport security. These can provide detailed images of the contents of bags without the need to remove items. So, what is the current situation? Is it still necessary to take liquids and electronics out of your hand luggage at the airport security checkpoint or is this no longer required?
“Airport lottery”
At the moment, the answer to this question very much depends on which airport you are flying from. While some airports have already introduced the new technology, others are lagging behind. Therefore, passengers might experience different rules at different airports. Some airports might still follow the old rules while others have already implemented the new technology and relaxed the liquid limits.
How are the new scanners different to the old ones?
The new airport scanners work with computerised tomography (CT). This offers several advancements over the older type, which primarily use X-ray technology. Here are the key differences:
Enhanced security – automated and improved detection
Old Scanners:
- Traditional X-ray scanners provide 2D images of the contents of bags, which require security personnel to interpret flat, layered images.
- Rely heavily on manual interpretation by security personnel, which can lead to longer inspection times and a higher likelihood of human error.
- Can struggle to distinguish between different types of materials, sometimes leading to false alarms and additional checks.
- While effective, their limitations can sometimes mean potential threats are harder to detect.
New Scanners:
- CT scanners produce detailed 3D images, allowing for a more comprehensive view of the bag’s contents. This makes it easier to identify and assess items without needing to unpack the bag.
- Utilise advanced algorithms and automated threat detection, which can quickly and accurately identify potential threats, reducing the need for manual checks.
- Provide better material discrimination, allowing for more accurate identification of different substances and reducing false positives.
- Offer a higher level of security by providing clearer and more detailed images, making it easier to detect a wide range of threats, including explosives and prohibited items.
Improved passenger experience – increased speed and efficiency:
Old Scanners:
- Require passengers to remove liquids, laptops, and other electronics from their bags to be scanned separately, which can slow down security screening.
- The process of removing items from bags can be cumbersome and stressful for passengers.
New Scanners:
- Allow passengers to leave liquids and electronics in their bags, speeding up security screening and reducing waiting times at security checkpoints.
- This simplified process is more convenient and less stressful for travellers and reduces the risk of items going missing.
Which airports have already introduced the new scanning equipment?
The equipment is currently in place in the following UK airports
- Teesside
- Newcastle
- London City
The following UK airports are expected to introduce the changes in June 2024:
- Birmingham
- Luton
- Bristol
Many of the larger airports, e.g. London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Manchester are not due to fully implement the changes until 2025.
In Ireland, the following airports have already changed their rules:
- Shannon
- Donegal
In Spain and Mallorca, passengers will have to wait a little longer before they can start benefitting from the eagerly awaited changes. The first airports to receive the new equipment will be Barajas Airport in Madrid and El Prat Airport in Barcelona. The installation in Palma de Mallorca is scheduled for 2025.
How do the rules differ at airports with the new CT scanners?
The introduction of the new scanners will allow the following:
- Travellers no longer need to remove laptops, tablets and liquids from their hand luggage.
- An end to the 100 ml limit and the requirement for liquids to be placed in a separate plastic bag.
- Travellers can take up to two litres of liquid through security (some airports that already have the new scanners currently have different liquid limits in place).
However, until a full rollout is achieved, it is important for passengers to check the latest guidelines for their specific airport or airline before travelling.
For information on the existing liquid limits and security screening procedures, please see our page EU Cabin Regulations and Security Screening at Palma Airport.
