ACI EUROPE reports on the recent amendments to the EU Aviation Security Regulation, introducing severe restrictions on the use of C3 cabin baggage scanners across EU airports, as well as those in Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Starting 1 September 2024, passengers will face a 100 ml limit on liquid containers, negating the primary advantage of C3 scanners which allowed unrestricted liquids and electronics in hand baggage.
This change will decrease passenger throughput at security checkpoints and strain airport operations, necessitating additional staff and possible reconfiguration of security areas. Airports that invested heavily in these scanners to enhance passenger experience now face significant financial and operational setbacks, as C3 scanners are considerably more expensive and costly to maintain compared to traditional X-ray machines.
Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, emphasized the importance of security but expressed concerns about the impact on airports that adopted this technology in good faith. He called for the European Commission and Member States to establish a clear roadmap to lift these restrictions and restore confidence in the EU certification system for aviation security equipment. Meanwhile, it is essential that liquids limited to 100 ml be allowed to remain in cabin bags when screened by C3 scanners to mitigate operational impacts.
