A 17-year old, widely followed airport rule for carry-on luggage items following a foiled terror plot has been lifted at one London airport, thanks to advanced X-ray technology.
London City Airport, the only airport located in the U.K.’s capital, announced Tuesday that it has become the first of the country’s airports to use a full CT (computerized tomography) security scanner that will eliminate the need for removing laptops or liquids from carry-on luggage.
Leidos Holdings
LDOS,
a U.S. defense, information technology and biomedical research group, has provided the new scanners, alongside automated tray return systems.
The former limits of 100 milliliter bottles for most liquids, will be raised to 2 liters for passengers flying out of the regional airport that serves 40 locations across the U.K., Europe and the U.S. In a press statement, the airport said the new technology should help speed up passenger traffic by 30% per hour.
Laptops, tablets and mobile phones can also stay in baggage in the security checks, with Tuesday’s introduction following “successful trials” last year and positive passenger feedback, said the airport, which is predicting a big rebound in traffic this year, and nearly 4 million passengers.
“The new process delivers a much more efficient security operation with enhanced security screening.” said Alison FitzGerald, chief operating officer. All major airports will eventually be using the technology, added the U.K.’s aviation minister Baronness Charlotte Vere, in a statement. For now though passengers still have to observe the old rules while traveling from other U.K. airports.
The CT technology is already being used at some international hub airports such as Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and the U.S.’s LaGuardia Airport.
The carry-on luggage restrictions have been in place across the U.K. and worldwide since U.K. Metropolitan police foiled a 2006 transatlantic aircraft terrorist plot to detonate liquid explosives hidden in soft drinks on airlines originating from the U.K. and headed to the U.S.
Read: Amsterdam’s message to young male visitors from Great Britain: Stay home
Since 2006, U.K. travelers have been required to restrict individual bottles to 100 milliliters, fit all liquids into a single, clear plastic bag and take all all electronic items out of carry-on luggage during security scanning.
The U.K. is bracing for a busy Easter travel break, with flight bookings reportedly up 12% from the U.K. to Europe, but British Airways has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights over the break due to upcoming strikes by airport staff. Last year’s travel was disrupted by staffing shortages and the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
This post was originally published on Market Watch
