Passengers' coats and laptops to undergo X-ray inspection at all Finnish airports

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Starting tomorrow on March 1st, more stringent security inspection procedures are to be put in place at all Finnish airports.
      Under the new guidelines, all passengers' overcoats, indoor jackets, and laptop computers are to undergo X-ray inspection along with hand luggage. Laptop computers must also be taken out of their carrying-cases before inspection.
     
Currently, Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and Oulu Airport are the only airports in Finland where these screening procedures are already in force.
      According to Finavia (formerly the Finnish CAA), the purpose is to improve air travel safety and to harmonise security control practices of all Finnish airports.
      The new regulations are based on an EU directive on safety inspections, which is in use in most European countries. Last autumn also Finland was advised to adopt more stringent X-ray inspection of passenger hand luggage.
     
The new security inspection procedures were launched at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport last November. At first this caused chaos, as passengers were given inadequate information about the changes and there were not enough staff. Many passengers had to wait in line for the safety inspection for more than an hour, and departing flights at Helsinki-Vantaa were delayed.
      In Oulu, on the other hand, the new procedures were implemented in December without any major difficulties.
      Finavia says, however, that passengers should be prepared for the possibility that the new practice will cause delays in the security control service in the initial stages.
      To avoid long queues, passengers arriving at an airport should remove portable computers from their cases and take off their overcoats, jackets, and blazers before the inspection and place them on the x-ray conveyor for security screening. They are also advised to place thick belt buckles, mobile phones, wallets, keys, and coins for example in a pocket of a coat which is to be X-rayed so that they will not set off the metal detectors.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Security inspection queues still long at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (2.12.2005)

Links:
  Finavia (formerly the Civil Aviation Administration CAA)

Helsingin Sanomat