San Francisco Frontiers - Dubai airport expands scanners that keep laptops and liquids in bags

Dubai International Airport is expanding the use of advanced security scanners designed to screen hand luggage without requiring passengers to remove laptops, liquids and other items.

Dubai Airports chief executive Paul Griffiths said new machines are already being installed as part of a gradual replacement of older screening equipment. Trials disclosed last year had produced faster and more reliable checks, and the programme has now moved into an ongoing rollout.

The change applies where the new scanners are operational. Passengers using lanes with older equipment may still face existing procedures until the replacement programme is complete.

The upgrade is being introduced across the airport rather than in a single terminal. It forms part of refurbishment work at Terminal 1 and elsewhere, including Concourse B and its Hammerhead remote terminal. Terminal 1 is also receiving new flooring and additional security lanes.

Dubai Airports is seeking to process more travellers through its existing facilities. Griffiths said DXB had grown by 20 per cent over the previous decade without the delivery of major additional infrastructure, making more efficient use of current capacity central to the airport's growth strategy.

The screening project is part of a broader effort to reduce queues and intrusive procedures throughout the journey, including at immigration. Dubai Airports ultimately aims to let travellers move through the terminal with fewer stops and spend less time on processing before boarding.

H.Reyes--SFF