With the European Commission set to relax airport security rules so as to allow passengers to take more than 100 ml of liquid in their carry-on luggage and no longer require them to extract electronics such as laptops and tablets from their hand luggage - provided that the airport uses new cutting-edge 3D CT screening equipment - AGERPRES looked at the situation in Romanian airports and found that just some such facilities already have or have initiated steps to acquire security control equipment that allows scrapping the respective restrictions, but even those that have such technology cannot use it yet because the software needs to be reinstalled.

*** The 'Avram Iancu' International Airport in Cluj has such scanners, but they need software updates from the manufacturing company.

'We are currently working with the scanner manufacturer to update the software so as to expand the capabilities of the equipment and meet the new requirements,' Cluj Airport general manager David Ciceo told AGERPRES on Tuesday, adding that he cannot estimate a deadline by which the sensitivity of airport scanners will be such as to allow passengers to carry larger liquid containers on board and no longer remove electronic devices from their luggage.

*** Craiova International Airport is the first airport in the country to have been equipped with scanners for bottles of liquids up to 2 liters and electronic devices, but starting September 1, 2024 the European Commission reinstated the 100ml liquid restriction, ordering all equipment in this category to undergo a new set of tests for certification.

At this time, at the Craiova Airport passengers may keep their larger electricals such as laptop computers and tablets in their hand luggage, and when the liquid scanning devices receive certification, they will also be able to carry bottles of liquids or gels up to 2 liters on board.

'Craiova International Airport has three standard C3 EDSCB scanners of the DETECT 1000 model produced by IDSS Inc. for liquids detection, installed and put into operation in November and December 2023. As the European Commission reintroduced the on-board liquid restriction starting with September 1, 2024, subjecting all equipment in this category to a new set of tests for certification, just one model has been re-certified, according to the ECAC-compliant list for EDSCB; the model owned by the Craiova International Airport, namely DETECT 1000, is in the process of re-certification,' said Craiova Airport spokesperson Oana Raducanoiu.

The Craiova International Airport is in the process of modernizing and expanding its terminals, and this also applies for the equipment purchased.

*** The 'Maramures' International Airport in Baia Mare has purchased two scanners that will be installed in the new passenger terminal, development director Ionut Caraba told AGERPRES, adding that 'the terminal will be put into operation by the end of the year. The investment is approximately RON 500,000.'

*** In Oradea, new generation scanning equipment might be purchased no sooner than in two years, given that the one currently in operation has been in use only since 2020.

Oradea Airport manager Razvan Horga told AGERPRES that any purchase of new technology depends on budget allocations.

'We do not have such equipment, but, of course, we are considering such a purchase once the equipment we currently have in operation, and which has been in use for approximately five years now, reaches its life limit. We hope that we will be able to initiate the purchase in the next two years, but it all depends on budget allocations for this purpose,' Horga said.

*** The Satu Mare International Airport does not have a passenger traffic high enough to justify the purchase of scanners that would allow scrapping the 100ml rule, the institution's management said.

'Yes, at the Cluj-Napoca airport, which has a passenger traffic of two million per year, these scanners are justified. But at our facility, which only had 70,000 passengers last year and hopes to reach the 100,000-line, they are not justified. (...) We preferred to invest in modernizing the infrastructure, in expanding our 'house' first,' airport director Mihai Patrascu told AGERPRES.

According to him, the airport had a modernization project intended to triple the passenger handling capacity from 150 to 450 people/hour, an investment that will be completed in December. With big plans afoot for next year, which could lead to an increase in the number of passengers, the management might also consider purchasing new scanners, said Mihai Patrascu.

*** 'Transilvania' Airport in Targu Mures said on Wednesday, at the request of AGERPRES, that the purchase of security check equipment was completed in 2024, but then the European Commission decided to suspend the use of these types of screening systems starting from 01.09.2024, following the identification of certain technical issues. For the equipment to be used further on, it must be re-certified, a process that can only be initiated by the manufacturer. After the successful completion of the re-certification process, the 'Transilvania' Airport will be able to use the screening equipment, without passengers being required to remove liquids or large electronic devices from their carry-on luggage, the airport stated.

The 'Transilvania' Airport in Targu Mures served 213,312 passengers in 2024.

*** The 'Traian Vuia' International Airport in Timisoara (AIT) is in a similar situation, as restrictions on on-board liquids are maintained until the screening equipment is updated, spokeswoman Amalia Matei told AGERPRES.

'This is modern, new equipment, but the software needs to be re-installed, an operation that can take several months, it does not depend on us. So, basically, we are under a ban. The announcements will probably be made by each airport, when they manage to solve the problem. The contracts for the equipment belong to the airport and the airport discusses with the respective companies, but the Romanian Intelligence Service must confirm their compliance,' said Amalia Matei. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Sebastian Olaru, Marian Buga, Dorina Matis, Maria Mitrica, Leontin Cupar, Otilia Halunga; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)