Part of a redevelopment scheme that started in November, the Palma de Mallorca Airport plans to remove the requirement for passengers to remove liquids and electronics from their hand luggage when passing through security.
The project is expected to last 4 years and cost €559 million and aims to completely modernise the airport. The acquisition of modern technology scanners is foreseen during this time, which will ensure security even if everything is left inside the bag.
To further facilitate the passing of passengers through the airport, two new check-in counters and luggage claim belts will be added. The new measures are meant to streamline the transit of people as, like manty others, the Palma de Mallorca Airport has faced some chaos over the past months due to the recovery of air traffic demand and lack of personnel.
What are CT scanners ?
The Spanish airport is just the latest one to announce it will be making use of the modern technology equipment. The smart scanners have been in testing at London’s Heathrow Airport since 2019, with the UK government recently announcing a plan to introduce them at all of the country’s airports by 2024.
Shannon Airport, in Ireland, has also installed the $2.7 million dollar system, while the Transportation Security Administration of the United States has invested $781.2 million in 1,000 scanners.
The CT scanners, similar to the ones used for medical procedures, allow for a more accurate detection of dangerous items, like weapons and explosives, by creating very detailed 3D images of a bag’s contents, which security officers can then view and rotate to better analyse the contents, and using complex algorithms that can automatically detect weapons, explosives and other prohibited items. Due to the high accuracy of the apparatus, they can even detect explosives in liquids, which is why travellers would be allowed to leave them in their bags when going through security.
