With the help of high-tech 3D scanners, airport security rules about liquids and laptops in carry-on bags could be lifted in the UK by 2024.
New 3D scanning technology
A source told the BBC that the government is thinking about putting out the advanced technology, which is like the CT scanners used in hospitals, in two years. However, a final decision has not yet been made.
At the moment, passengers can only bring liquids in containers that are up to 100ml in size and must put them all in a single, clear, resealable plastic bag when they go through airport security. Since November 2006, these rules have been in place.
The Times said that ministers have given major UK airports until the middle of 2024 to install more advanced scanners. A formal announcement is expected in the next few weeks.
Reducing security wait times
Most delays at airport security are caused by people who forget to take things out of their bags or bring large bottles of liquids or creams.
Since 2017, the new technology has been tested at London’s Heathrow airport. It lets staff zoom in on a bag’s contents and turn the images so they can check everything.
John Holland-Kaye, the CEO of Heathrow, told the Times,
“We are slowly rolling them out.
“We just started expanding the security area in Terminal 3, which means there will be more CT scanners. The Department of Transport has given us until the middle of 2024 to finish the project. By then, it will be the norm for passengers to keep liquids in their bags.”
Mark Harper, who is in charge of transportation, said that the rules about carrying liquids in hand bags are “under review.”
Harper told Sky News that it was because “one of the bosses at an airport said so.” He also said, “I’m afraid you already know that when it comes to security, we don’t usually say anything.” I think that is a big deal.
“But for now, the rules are as they are, with strict limits on how much liquid people can bring on planes.”
US airports like Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, Georgia, and O’Hare in Chicago have been using this technology for a while now.
Source: The Guardian
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