Smiths Detection has won a contract from Gold Coast Airport in Australia to enhance its cabin bag screening with advanced computed tomography (CT) screening systems. The announcement follows a successful six-week trial which ended in March this year.
Servicing both international and domestic airlines, Gold Coast Airport welcomes almost 6.5 million passengers per year, which is forecast to more than double by 2037. To meet increasing passenger volumes and mandated government regulations to be CT-compliant, the airport will install up to 12 HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX screening machines over the next three years.
Initial installation will see four CTiX units installed at the existing screening point in April 2020, with the remaining eight units to be installed in line with the opening of the southern terminal expansion and refurbishment of the existing terminal.
According to Gold Coast Airport general manager operations and service delivery Brett Curtis, the equipment, which uses 3D technology to improve detection of suspicious items, will streamline security processes.
“Because this technology allows bags to be screened without personal belongings like laptops, gels and liquids having to be removed, it results in a significant reduction in wait times at the passenger security checks,” Curtis said. “The trial was successful and we found the scanner worked well from security, operational efficiency and passenger experience perspectives.”
The integrated security lanes at Gold Coast Airport will include cutting-edge technology components designed to improve security, passenger experience and operational efficiency: HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX, a cabin baggage screening system that uses CT technology to provide advanced explosives detection and low false alarm rates; iLane.evo, a flexible and smart lane system with automated tray return and modular divestment counters so multiple passengers can put their belongings down for screening at the same time; and Checkpoint.Evoplus, an advanced lane management solution that fully integrates the individual components of the lane onto a single, intelligent platform while enabling remote screening.
The HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX has both TSA AT-2 certification and ECAC EDS CB C3 approval – the highest defined security standards in the industry.