Who has never been exasperated in front of the queue to pass security at the airport?
Who has never panicked at the idea of compacting all their liquids into a single small bag?
With always the fear of having taken too much and of exceeding the sacrosanct limit of 100 ml.
What if all these constraints disappeared soon?
According to the BBC, the British government plans to deploy high-definition 3D scanners by mid-2024 to scan travelers' luggage at UK airports.
A measure that could have a considerable impact on the passenger experience.
The latter would no longer have to restrict the number of liquids in their cabin baggage.
Currently, those who want to carry liquids with them are limited to a container no larger than 100ml.
This plastic bag, transparent and resealable, measures approximately 20 cm by 20 cm (i.e. one litre).
A restriction put in place in November 2006, in a tense context.
A few months earlier, the British authorities had foiled a plot, which planned to blow up planes in flight with bombs hidden in bottles of drinks.
Read alsoThese mistakes to avoid before going through airport safety and security checks
This constraint could therefore be lifted.
3D scanners are currently being tested at London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
The equipment (CT scanner) is intended to be similar to CT scanners used in hospitals.
In other words, it will provide three-dimensional images of the objects it scans.
The bags will thus be inspected from several angles.
A more efficient technology than the equipment currently deployed.
The stated objectives are clear: to speed up checks before boarding, and thus reduce queues, but also to improve security.
According to
The Times
, an official announcement could come before Christmas and say more about the British government's intentions.
A test in progress at Orly
What about France?
“We are currently testing new explosives detection equipment for cabin baggage, which means that neither electronic devices nor liquids can be removed, which facilitates the preparation of passengers during the security check
,” said the ADP group. , which notably operates the Paris airports.
Since October, a test has been underway at Orly 3. It must take place
“for a year in a real situation”
, as confirmed by
Figaro
ADP.
This experiment, carried out in
“close cooperation with state services”
, involves
“training operators in new image verification protocols”
, but also an analysis of the passenger journey.
As ADP reminds us, this test is part of a series of innovations, including the “shoescan”, to avoid taking off your shoes when going through security.