Finish line nears for sweeping upgrades to airport security after $2 billion Federal Government mandate

The days of waiting in painfully slow lines at airport security are almost behind us as the finish line nears for sweeping upgrades to screening checkpoints across the country.

As part of the Federal Government’s $2 billion mandate to strengthen aviation security and streamline processes, screening lanes with advanced CT technology, body scanners and 3D x-ray bag scanners are being rolled out in all major cities’ airports.

What does this mean for Aussies?

This means that domestic and international passengers will no longer need to remove laptops, liquids, or aerosols from their bags, an often frustrating ritual that has long slowed down security lines.

Sydney Airport, which has just opened 11 of 15 new screening lanes at T1 International, is already seeing the benefits as the number of passengers going through the new lanes has already doubled.

“The security upgrades at Sydney Airport will make getting through screening quicker and easier, allowing passengers to leave laptops, liquids and aerosols in their bags, cutting down wait times,” a Sydney Airport spokesperson told The Nightly.

“Passenger throughput has increased by 100 per cent compared to the previous lane output,” they added.

Although the total number of lanes will decrease from 17 to 15, the new 21-metre conveyor belts will boost overall screening capacity by nearly 30 per cent.

Since the new lanes were introduced, 99.1 per cent of international passengers and 99.9 per cent of domestic passengers have cleared security in under 10 minutes, significantly exceeding the Government’s expectation of a 15-minute maximum journey from check-in to gate.

The remaining four lanes are set to be launched by November 7, with security upgrades at T2 Domestic set for completion in the coming weeks, which Sydney Airport says will “further boost efficiency and enhance the overall travel experience for passengers”.

What about other cities?

Meanwhile, after years of development, five new lanes at the Qantas security screening point will open in Brisbane on Tuesday.

An additional 10 lanes will be completed in the domestic airport by Christmas, and eight upgraded lanes will open in the international terminal by the end of the year.

Melbourne, Perth, Canberra and Hobart have already completed their mandated security upgrades, meeting the Government’s deadline to have everything in shape by the end of the year.

Hobart Airport unveiled its new security screening area in August, which also included an automatic tray return system.

“The big news is that you will no longer have to unpack your laptop, devices or aerosols from your carry-on luggage, making security screening a lot simpler,” Hobart Airport CEO Norris Carter said at the time.

Over in Adelaide, six new lanes are now open that are consistent with a modern security experience; however, international travellers will still need to remove laptops and tablets from their carry-on, as well as present powders, liquids, aerosols and gels for inspection for now.

Perth Airport announced last week that it would be expanding the current screening facilities to support its growing regional passenger base.

“We’ve seen significant growth of regional passenger numbers with with an increase of 3.7 per cent on last year seeing numbers grow from 6 million to 6.24 million,” Perth Airport Chief Executive Officer Jason Waters said in a statement.

The Nightly has reached out to Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth Airport for comment.