Thanks to advanced 3D scanners, prohibitions on liquids and laptops in carry-on luggage at airports in the United Kingdom could be eliminated within two years.
The administration is considering implementing the more advanced scanners by mid-2024, although a final decision has not been made.
The device, comparable to hospital CT scanners, provides a crisper image of a bag’s contents.
Due to the epidemic, an earlier installation date was extended.
According to The Times, ministers have been conducting a study, and an announcement is expected before Christmas to reduce airport wait times in the United Kingdom.
Currently, passengers carrying liquids in their cabin luggage are restricted to 100ml containers or less. These must be presented to security personnel in a single, transparent, resealable plastic bag that is no larger than eight inches by eight inches and carries no more than one liter.
These restrictions have existed since November 2006. Their implementation ended a three-month-old restriction on liquids in the cabin imposed after British police foiled a plot to blow up as many as ten planes using explosives concealed in beverage bottles.
However, the new technology allows personnel to zoom in on the contents of a bag and rotate the photos for inspection.
Beginning in 2017, 3D scanners have been tested at London Heathrow Airport.
John Holland-Kaye, the company’s chief executive, told The Times newspaper, “We are gently implementing them.”
The [Department of Transport] has set a date of mid-2024 for the completion of the extension of the security area in Terminal 3, which will include more CT scanners. By then, it will be the standard for passengers to keep liquids in their baggage.
US airports, including Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson and Chicago’s O’Hare, have utilized this technology for several years.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to utilize scanning technology to speed up pre-boarding inspections and enhance airport security by the end of 2022.
As a result of the widespread travel restrictions imposed during the epidemic, passenger numbers were diminished.
According to the most recent data from the International Air Transport Association for September, passenger traffic levels have barely reached 73% of pre-Covid levels.
A representative for the Department of Transport stated, “At UK airports, passengers are prohibited from carrying liquid containers greater than 100ml through security, and liquids and gadgets must be removed from carry-on luggage at airport security checkpoints.
