Sadly the threat of international terrorism has become all too familiar; airports and air travel has become a palpable target. As the threat has increased air transport authorities around the world have reacted by introducing ever more sophisticated solutions to ensure passenger safety, including the need for specialist Test Baggage.
The enhanced airport screening of people and luggage has become a pressing need for Airport Authorities around the world. Every piece of luggage is to be subjected to a complete pre-flight 3-D x-ray analysis and at the same time the machines will check for the presence of explosives.
All UK airports are required to be compliant with the latest European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) “Standard 3” directive by 1st September 2018. The upgrading of airport security systems to meet these new standards is a huge project that requires a great deal of planning, especially if customer traffic and baggage throughput is to be maintained.
Every newly installed airport explosives detection system (EDS) requires extensive testing and validation before it can be used with live passenger baggage. CHS are helping by providing baggage system integrators, airport operators and x-ray manufacturers with specialist test luggage that is used to simulate baggage threats. Our “threat” test bags are designed to alarm when being scanned by the new generation x-ray scanners. At the same time images of the lead numbers embedded within the test bags appear on the x-ray scanner display screen to alert the screening operator that the threat it is part of the testing protocol. These test bags are currently in use in UK airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham and will shortly be used at Newcastle.
In addition, we are providing test bags to Casablanca Airport that emulate the kind of baggage that is presented at a typical check-in desk. This includes bags of all shapes and sizes: hard-shell and soft-shell cases, duffel bags, backpacks, suit carriers, attaché cases, military bags and computer bags etc. All test baggage is weighted with recycled materials so as to behave in a typical way when passing through the baggage system. These test bag types are derived from the IATA baggage standard specification chart and carry warning notices to prevent them being mistakenly loaded on to aircraft. We also provide Out Of Gauge (OOG) baggage that includes: ski equipment, surfboards, golf hardware, folding prams, car seats and other items that have to be handled separately within the baggage hall. Once again all these items carry warning labels stating that they are test pieces.
Our test bags are helping airports internationally ensure the new generation EDS/ x-ray systems are tested, commissioned and are security compliant.
See the range of specialist CHS Test Baggage.
