CT scanners lift throughput at Zurich Airport by up to 30 percent

CT scanners have increased hand-luggage screening throughput at Zurich Airport by up to 30 percent, the airport says. SRF reports that all carry-on bags have been screened with the new machines for the past three months.

The scanners use computer tomography to create three-dimensional images, allowing security staff to examine bags on screen from different angles. Zurich Airport spokesperson Jasmin Bodmer-Breu said the technology makes checks more comfortable and efficient.

Some items can trigger extra checks because their density makes them difficult for the scanners to identify or causes them to be flagged as potentially dangerous. Bodmer-Breu named Jass and Uno cards, as well as double-walled thermos bottles. She recommends taking such items out of hand luggage, emptying thermos bottles and placing them separately in a tray.

The scanners alone cannot prevent queues, the airport says. Having enough staff in the right places also matters. Passengers can use the airport website’s flight-finder tool to get a recommended arrival time for their flight.

CT scanners are being introduced at more airports, but are not yet standard, said Laura Frommberg, editor-in-chief of Aerotelegraph. Installing the equipment while airports remain open takes time and can initially make the process less convenient. She estimated that about one in eight commercial airports currently has at least one CT screening lane.