I'm looking forward to this change, even if it slows things down slightly - which seems to be the expected outcome.

I don't live in the UK at the moment, but like to stock up with food/sauces/drinks I miss each time I fly back. This'll allow me to fly HBO more often.

There's anecdotal evidence that the security crew are aware that CT scanners fry film, and are more amenable to performing a hand inspection of your film.

I sure hope these aren't the same machines they have rolled out at a number of US airports. They process bags at a snail's pace and it does appear that more bags get pulled aside. The TSA agents hate them. Prepare for longer waits.

They are the same ones that have been trialled for over a year now in T5 transit security. I�ve been through countless times and only been pulled for secondary once when a neck roller thingy looked suspicious. That was cleared up pretty quickly and there wasn�t a massive backlog of other people waiting for secondary checks.

I do hope they are different to the ones in US airports. The experience I've had with the new scanners there has not been positive. The whole process takes longer, if you remove any items they yell at you to re-pack everything back inside your bag before going through, and then there's a long queue for secondary screening on the other side.

Well, the EU will have them too in due course; other countries will mostly get them eventually too.

I hope they are the same ones as they use at HEL. There they have replaced quite a lot of the old machines with 2 or 3 usually up and running (the one time I had to queue last week we were alongside the old ones). Everything is faster with them (particularly as we don't have to unpack / pack again).

They do still come up with some secondary checks - but these too seem to be pretty quick, as they seem to have a better view on their screen which doesn't seem to involved lots of unpacking.

T

As a film photographer this means trouble. Unless they�re happy to do hand inspection.

Let�s hope so.

I have the same issue at AUS. TSA tell you to keep everything in your bag only for lots of bags to end up in a manual check. That's happened with my laptop bag. Told 'you're packing items too closely together' whatever that is supposed to mean. So, next time I went through AUS, told them I was getting things out the bag only to be told "sir, leave your items in your bag please". It went for a manual check again.

So, yes, in a way it can be a lot slower. The family in front of me also went through a manual check as they had products for their baby.

They are;

Sure, "eventually." But as we all know, quite well at this point, these type of policy changes can take a very, very long time. So "eventually" may still be quite a distant point in the future.

Furthermore, I clearly said there is some incremental value in this, but there are still many gaps. For example, as a US based traveler this will make little improvement for me because when I land in the US returning home, I still have to go through security again in order to connect to my final destination and thus I'll be subject to the US standard not the UK standard (which by the way is also true for Brits visiting the US).

So progress, sure, but a long way to go yet...

Regards

This is also in the First Lane worry-fest thread, but everything connects here. More information for Project NextGen

Overview

Introduced by the Department for Transport in 2019, the Security Programme is underpinned by smarter bag and body scanning technology that will deliver enhanced threat detection and a smoother Security experience for customers.

The Programme changes impact both Terminal and Campus search areas and will also modernise the working environment for thousands of front-line colleagues over the coming years. We are working as quickly as possible to transition to the new computer tomography (CT) lanes and equipment and ths means our terminals are likely to look and feel different for the next few years.

This winter, passengers travelling through UK airports should prepare for security as normal. Liquids, aerosols, gels and pastes are permitted in containers up to 100ml in a 1-litre clear plastic bag, which should be removed from cabin baggage alongside electrical items and placed in the tray to be processed through security.

Lane Removals & Mitigation Information:

1) T5A First Wing - Both First Wing security Lanes go out of service at the end of operations on Monday 8th January 2024. First Wing Check-in will remain open and mitigation signage and hosts will direct First Wing eligible British Airways passengers to use the two South Security Fast Track 'box' security lanes. British Airways Fast Track passengers will be advised to use the North Fast Track Security Lanes. Iberia Fast Track passengers may choose to use either the North or the South Fast Track Security Lanes. Two new lanes will come back into service, currently planned for Tuesday 19th March 2024.

2) T5A CSA South Lanes 11, 12 & 13 come out of Service at the end of operations on Monday 8th January 2024. Two new security lanes (18 & 19) will come back into service, planned for Friday 5th April 2024.

3) T5C FCC Lane - The existing lane will come out of service at the end of operations on Wednesday 10th January 2024. The planned back-in-service date for the new security lane is Thursday 11th April 2024

This is the first of 11 x phases to replace the current lanes with 28 x upgraded lanes.

My husband has a hip replacement - do you think that under the new scanners he will have to be manually checked again? I have been through these in different places and it varies. I suspect that the next few months will be somewhat painful but it will be worth it to be able to pass through without having to take out Ipads (but not Iphones - one day someone will explain to me why one and not the other. Kindles have to come out and the liquids and gells. I do not wear boots to fly so my footwear is fine. I am always conscious of people being held up behind us and try to get through with the minimum of fuss. If someone is rushed then I let them through as we on the whole are not.

I am assuming that we are going to have to go the long way round to the Flounge - it might have been nice had they organised that Floungers could do so and keep them from desecrating the hallowed sanctuary of the CCR temple (I'd clutch my pearls were I wearing any). I honestly do not know the possibilities of that using those barriers that they use so abundantly at the gates.

See the other thread for First Wing guidance.

As with all CT scanners, all items are left in the bags, see the posts upthread, and that includes cellular telephones. The post above is about preparation given that most passengers will be in the legacy scanner channels.

For the new wall scan, it depends on exactly what sort of hip your partner has. But mostly they are cleared automatically. He may get a manual check in the early days since some settings are set to a more conservative level whilst training and testing is ongoing.

Last time i flew through T3 we had to try to get a 2yo to stand on the adult footprints for the wall scanner. It wouldn�t scan him at first. Safe to say it took some time, though the 2yo enjoyed it not sure many other pax did! Operators didn�t know what to do. Hopefully it all becomes much smoother!

Being able to keep things in a bag and bring >100ml is a total win but I expect it will be a 1yr training and learning process before it all settles down. Would be great if could keep jumpers belts and shoes on too�. or have a TSA Pre type program!