Airport security: what happens at the passenger screening checkpoint

One aim: keeping dangerous items off aircraft

Before reaching the departure area, every passenger goes through a screening checkpoint. Its purpose is straightforward: to prevent prohibited items from being taken on board an aircraft, whether carried on the person or in cabin baggage. This security check, not to be confused with border police document checks or customs, is governed by common European rules, supplemented in France by national legislation.

These rules apply to flights departing from a French airport, including domestic flights between two French cities, and to flights departing from the European Union, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. An airline may nevertheless be stricter than the regulations require.

Certified equipment

A screening checkpoint combines several technologies. The French civil aviation technical centre (STAC) lists, among others:

• the walk-through metal detector, through which the passenger passes;
• the hand-held metal detector, used to resolve doubts;
• X-ray imaging for cabin bags, and explosive detection systems for cabin baggage;
• the security scanner, which screens passengers without physical contact;
• explosive trace detectors, which work from swab samples;
• equipment for screening liquids, aerosols and gels, and shoe scanners.

This equipment must be certified by the DGAC before it can be used at a French airport. Certification may cover a model (type certification) or each installed unit (individual certification).

Who carries out the checks?

Screening is carried out by trained and certified security officers, most often employed by specialist companies working on behalf of the airport operator, under the supervision of State services. Passengers are not the only ones concerned: checked hold baggage is also screened, out of the passenger's sight, as are staff and goods entering the restricted area.

The liquids rule

This is the constraint travellers know best. As a general rule, liquids, aerosols and gels carried in the cabin must be in containers of no more than 100 ml each, placed in a single transparent, resealable bag with a capacity of no more than one litre, one bag per passenger. Aerosol valves must be protected.

There are exceptions. Liquids needed during the journey for medical purposes or special dietary requirements, including baby food, may be accepted with supporting evidence such as a prescription. Products bought in duty-free shops after screening must stay in a sealed bag with the proof of purchase visible.

The European Commission points out that these restrictions were designed as temporary, pending equipment able to detect liquid explosives reliably. New generations of explosive detection systems for cabin baggage have begun to allow some relaxation at certain airports, but as a precaution the Commission required a return to the 100 ml limit at the airports concerned from 1 September 2024. Since the rules may change as this equipment is certified, the safest course is to check your departure airport's guidance before you travel.

Items banned from the cabin

Beyond liquids, several categories of items are refused in the cabin: sharp or pointed objects (scissors, screwdrivers, knives with blades longer than 6 cm), items that could cause injury such as walking poles, weapons including toys and replicas, and flammable products, which are also banned from the hold. Security staff may also refuse an item not on the list if they consider it a risk. Concealing a prohibited item will, at the very least, lead to its confiscation.

A few practical tips

To get through screening more quickly, prepare your liquids bag in advance, take out laptops and electronic devices if asked, and empty your pockets before the walk-through detector. These simple steps reduce additional checks and make the process smoother for everyone.