What chance of cutting airport security queues through enhanced technology? We can expect to see some of the Advanced X-Ray machines on trial at a Heathrow transfer centre at major airports by next summer.
These produce clearer images of the insides of cabin bags - with scans from more than one angle - although this may not end the need to remove laptops from bags.
But the widespread belief that technology will provide the answer to security delays could be misplaced according to a review of current developments in USA Today.
It reports the Backscatter X-Ray technology that sees through passengers’ clothes is slow and inadequate when used with the privacy filter required to spare blushes. An electromagnetic wave version of the same machine has potential, but is only likely to be used in place of a hand search – so hardly a time-saver.
What of the handheld bottle scanner? It won’t remove the need for existing restrictions on liquids in carry-on luggage – it will just mean mums won’t be forced to taste their baby’s milk or juice.
Trace Portals or “puffers” designed to detect miniscule amounts of explosive or bomb-making ingredients on clothes have been dogged by problems and the US Transportation Security Administration now has no plans to buy more of the machines. It has previously announced its intention to install more than 430 at US airports.
That leaves the ShoeScanner, installed at Orlando International and other major US airports to speed up checks on the footwear of fast-track passengers. Unfortunately, the TSA has discovered the machines are incapable of detecting shoe bombs, which is a bit of a handicap.
Expect airport security to remain people-heavy for a while yet.