Flyers’ wait to keep laptops in cabin bags for security checks gets longer

NEW DELHI: The mad scramble for plastic trays at airports’ pre-embarkation security check points for keeping personal electronic devices (PEDs), chargers and liquids separately from cabin bags has just got a little longer. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has asked airport operators not to install 3D computed tomography X-ray (CTX) machines for scanning cabin bag that would have allowed these things to remain inside bags.
For now, airports need to instead stick to the currently used 2D tech scanners that require electronics and liquids to be taken out. The reason: a high-powered multi-agency is examining the “suitability” of 3D CTX technology and whether it meets all threats that aviation in our country faces, said multiple people in the know.
This high-powered committee is also examining technology of body scanners — that do away with pat down checks of passengers — from an Indian perspective. “This committee is expected to shortly take a call on both CT X-ray and body scanners. Once the norms are finalised, airport operators will then be asked to change the security furniture in one go,” said sources.
“The question we asked ourselves is whether we should blindly go for the 3D X-ray scanners being used in the US and Europe since we have our own unique threat perception. Then it was decided to come out with India-specific norms or requirements for this technology factoring in our concerns. That will require original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to tweak their scanners for use at Indian airports,” they said.

The same panel is looking at full body scanners (FBS) from a “cultural aspect” of India. “People here use certain things for religious reasons. There are other things like, say gold bangles, which may sometimes be difficult to remove. The chunnat (layers) of saris/lungis are another aspect. The norms for body scanners from Indian perspective are also being looked at and will be issued shortly. OEMs of these products are on board and these items will be made from an Indian perspective,” they added.

While 3D CT X-ray machines are awaited to make pre-embarkation security check more seamless and end the mad scramble for plastic trays — that worsens in winters as at least one more tray is needed per passenger for jackets, — FBS promise to make checks more thorough, quicker and less intrusive with no pat down needed.
The rethink comes after BCAS had last year given Dec 31, 2023, deadline for airports handling 50 lakh and more passengers annually were to install CTX machines for cabin bag checks. And all hyper sensitive airports seeing a crore and more passengers annually were to introduce FBS by the same date. And all big new airports like greater Noida and Navi Mumbai were to open with these systems in place. However, now first the norms are awaited and then OEMs have to make machines meeting the same available before they can be ordered amid global supply chain issues and then installed at Indian airports.
“We expect the high powered committee to give its decision on norms from an Indian perspective soon. Then OEMs will have to make equipment that meets these requirements. Hopefully next year we should see rollout of these much-awaited systems,” said people in the know.