An end may be in sight for the restrictions on taking liquids onto flights at UK airports following a successful three-month trial of new X-ray scanning equipment at Manchester airport.
The tomography scanners used in the trial, which ended last month, create 3D X-ray images of passenger’s luggage and can measure the density of liquids to help identify dangerous substances that could potentially bring down an aircraft.
In the images, different kinds of liquids show up as different colours, depending on the contents, enabling security staff to quickly determine explosive fluids and bottles water or suncream, for example.
The new machines could also lead to shorter queues as passengers would need to spend less time at security. According to Surrey-based firm Rapiscan Systems, which has developed the technology behind the new scanners, the new RTT scanners are capable of scanning up to 1,800 bags an hour. The existing CT scanners can only handle about 350 bags an hour.
Rapiscan aims to have the scanners on sale by the end of the year and claims that the end of the liquids ban at Britain’s major airports could be “within 18 months”.
Manchester airport’s security manager David Pendlebury is similarly upbeat about the results of the trials, in which the RTT scanners scrutinised more than 10,000 bags provided by volunteer passengers.
“We have been testing it with hold baggage but I would really like to see it screening hand baggage, too,” he said. “We have been working with the Department for Transport and because of its capabilities I don’t think it will be too much longer before we are back to where we started before the security crisis,” said Pendlebury.
The restrictions on taking liquids onto aircraft were introduced in 2006 after security forces uncovered a terrorist plot to bring down aircraft with liquid explosives travelling from the UK to the US and Canada.
Under the current guidelines, passengers are not able to take containers of liquids larger than 100ml, with the exception of essential medicines and baby food/milk, through security points – even if they are only part full. Suitably-sized containers must be carried in a single transparent plastic bag, measuring 20cmx20cm, which holds no more than a litre and is sealed at the top.
UK airports special
There’s more on UK airports in the Destinations section…