Bengaluru airport won't ask you to put gadgets in plastic trays. Here's why

Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) will be the first airport in India to begin passenger trials for the Computer Tomography X-ray (CTX) machine

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Soon, passengers using Terminal 2 (T2) of Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) will not need to put their personal electronic gadgets in plastic trays, a report by Moneycontrol said.

Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), the operator of KIA, has announced that a trial run for the computer tomography X-ray (CTX) machine at T2 will commence within the next few weeks, the report said.

"The trial run for the CTX machine at T2 will begin within the coming weeks," said Satyaki Raghunath, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of BIAL, adding, "KIA will be the first airport in India to begin passenger trials for the CTX machine, which will be integrated with the Automatic Tray Retrieval System (ATRS) and full-body scanners," he said.

Three full-body scanners have already been installed at T2 for a faster and more secure flying experience, BIAL officials told Moneycontrol.

"Operators can rotate the view to examine the contents of bags, reducing the number of re-checks and physical inspections.The new system will also reduce the number of trays required per person during security screening," Raghunath said.

"This means that passengers will be able to leave their electronic items [laptops, etc.] and liquids, aerosols, and gels in their bags and go through a faster screening process. It will also shorten the processing time at security checkpoints. Removing fewer items from luggage means fewer trays, which speeds up divesting and reduces contact points, thus improving hygiene," he added.

It will also eliminate the current process of patting down passengers after a primary screening through the walk-through metal detector.

"The CTX Proof of Concept [POC] is undergoing trial at T2. The installation and integration with ATRS lanes are currently underway, and trials on passengers will begin very soon," said Raghunath.

"Advanced screening of carry-on baggage using CT and automatic explosives detection algorithms will improve security outcomes with superior 3D image quality. Also, CT can better identify the density of liquids," he added.

Terminal 2 of Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport, which cost around Rs 5,000 crore to construct, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2022. Domestic operations began on January 15, 2023, and international flight operations commenced on September 12.