Smiths Detection explores how the transition to advanced CT-based hold baggage screening—driven by ECAC Standard 3—can be leveraged as more than a compliance exercise, showing how modern screening platforms can increase throughput, reduce false alarms, lower energy consumption, and transform baggage operations into a source of long-term operational and financial advantage for airports.
Modern security infrastructure is now a strategic asset, capable of driving efficiency, increasing capacity, and delivering measurable return on investment. For airport operators, the question is no longer whether to upgrade hold baggage screening systems—regulatory mandates such as ECAC Standard 3 make this inevitable—but how to maximise the operational value of these necessary investments.
The transition from legacy X-ray to Computed Tomography (CT) screening represents more than regulatory compliance. It creates an opportunity to transform hold baggage operations from a cost centre into a source of competitive advantage. Advanced platforms like the SDX 10080 SCT, Smiths Detection‘s latest hold baggage screening system, demonstrate how compliance-driven upgrades can deliver operational transformation – achieving screening rates exceeding 1,800 bags per hour whilst maintaining false alarm rates below 8%.
For decades, hold baggage screening has operated in the shadows of airport infrastructure—a critical but largely invisible process that passengers rarely consider until something goes wrong. Yet this behind-the-scenes operation represents one of aviation’s most pressing operational challenges. With global air traffic projected to double by 2040, airports face an uncomfortable reality: their existing baggage handling systems, many still reliant on legacy X-ray technology, are approaching breaking point.
ECAC Standard 3 effectively mandates CT technology at Level 1 screening, requiring airports to replace systems that have served for decades. This necessitates not only equipment replacement but reconfiguration of existing Baggage Handling Systems (BHS), representing substantial capital expenditure. The convergence of stricter security mandates, rising operational costs, and unsustainable energy consumption demands a fundamental rethink of how airports approach their hold baggage infrastructure.
Yet the compliance expenditure automatically delivers superior image quality, enhanced threat detection, and—critically—lower False Alarm Rates (FAR) compared to legacy 2D X-ray systems. Forward-thinking operators recognise this convergence: capital expenditure justified to regulators can simultaneously serve as an operational capacity lever for financial stakeholders. Rather than viewing regulatory upgrades as a burden, they are recognising them as catalysts for operational transformation.
The SDX 10080 SCT exemplifies this opportunity. Its dual-energy CT technology satisfies both ECAC Standard 3.2 and TSA 7.3 requirements whilst its air-cooled design eliminates the need for expensive external chillers and HVAC modifications—reducing infrastructure costs by up to 40% compared to traditional liquid-cooled systems. Its modular architecture ensures readiness for future standards, including anticipated ECAC 4.0 requirements, protecting airports from costly system replacements every few years.
Throughput and flow
Morning and evening peaks test the limits of any airport’s baggage handling infrastructure. During these critical windows, the difference between smooth operations and cascading delays often comes down to screening capacity. Legacy hold baggage systems operating at 1,200–1,500 bags per hour cannot accommodate the surge volumes that modern hub airports experience.
The SDX 10080 SCT processes more than 1,800 bags per hour—with approximately 5% greater throughput than comparable systems due to optimised bag spacing—providing the headroom airports need during peak periods. The platform’s large tunnel dimensions (107 × 81 cm) accommodate oversized luggage that would typically require manual handling, keeping the main screening line flowing when processing sports equipment, musical instruments, or other non-standard items.
Its drop-in replacement design—fitting the same physical footprint as existing Smiths Detection systems—allows airports to upgrade screening capability without costly BHS reconfigurations. This architectural compatibility is crucial for operational continuity, allowing airports to modernise their hold baggage screening during routine maintenance windows rather than requiring extended operational shutdowns.
Reliability and uptime
The SDX 10080 SCT’s bearing-free gantry design and continuous belt operation at 0.5 metres per second address a persistent operational challenge. Unlike legacy systems requiring frequent stops for calibration or maintenance, the platform’s continuous background calibration eliminates scheduled downtime. This uninterrupted operation proves particularly crucial during peak transfer windows, where even a five-minute system pause can create backlogs affecting dozens of flights.
The simplified mechanical design, utilising a roller-based gantry that operates without traditional bearings, reduces the inherent failure points associated with friction and stress. This structural simplification is projected to reduce overall maintenance requirements by up to 40%—a material financial benefit translating directly into reduced maintenance labour costs, fewer component replacements, and increased uptime.
False alarm reduction
Whilst throughput gains capture immediate attention, FAR reduction represents the largest controllable lever for reducing operational expenditure. Traditional 2D systems can experience false alarm rates of 15–25% due to image clutter and inadequate resolution.
When a checked bag triggers an alarm—often due to image limitations rather than actual threats—it initiates a complex reconciliation process: security staff must locate the bag, potentially recall it from the aircraft loading area, conduct manual searches, and reintroduce it into the baggage flow. This process can take 15–20 minutes per bag, creating significant labour costs and risking flight delays.
The SDX 10080 SCT’s advanced dual-energy CT technology, combined with optional AI-powered threat detection through the iCMORE suite, achieves false alarm rates below 8%. In a representative scenario, consider a mid-sized international hub processing 50,000 checked bags daily. With a legacy system operating at an 18% false alarm rate, the airport faces approximately 9,000 manual interventions daily. With optimised detection algorithms achieving an 8% false alarm rate, that figure drops to 4,000—eliminating 5,000 labour-intensive processes every day.
Over a year, this represents 1.8 million fewer manual interventions. With each intervention conservatively requiring 10 minutes of staff time, the labour savings exceed 300,000 hours annually. In practical terms, this FAR improvement removes the equivalent workload of 150 full-time security staff. These figures do not account for the reduced risk of flight delays, improved baggage flow, or enhanced passenger satisfaction from fewer lost or delayed bags.
Transfer baggage performance
Transfer baggage represents one of aviation’s most time-sensitive operations. With minimum connection times often as short as 45 minutes, every second counts in screening bags moving between flights. High false alarm rates and frequent manual interventions in legacy systems create critical delays that cascade into missed connections and operational disruptions.
Improved screening speeds and reduced manual interventions can cut average transfer baggage processing time by 12 minutes, reducing missed connections by an estimated 35% and avoiding millions in annual passenger compensation and reaccommodation costs. For hub airports where transfer traffic represents a significant proportion of total passengers, this operational improvement directly impacts competitive positioning against rival hubs.
A comprehensive analysis requires moving beyond initial acquisition costs to adopt a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model accounting for all costs over the system’s lifecycle: equipment and software; deployment and installation; supporting infrastructure; maintenance contracts; training; environmental support costs such as electricity and climate control; space consumption; and end-of-life replacement.
The initial purchase price of advanced screening technology is substantial. However, focusing solely on the lower initial cost of legacy equipment is strategically flawed. An advanced system, whilst higher in initial outlay, delivers stronger long-term returns across multiple dimensions.
To illustrate the potential scale of savings, consider a major hub operating 15 hold baggage screening lines across three terminals, processing 25 million checked bags annually, evaluating an upgrade from legacy multi-view X-ray systems to the SDX 10080 SCT platform.
The 50% throughput increase (from 1,200 to 1,800+ bags per hour) provides immediate capacity relief during peak periods, potentially allowing the airport to handle projected annual growth in checked baggage without adding new screening lines—avoiding significant expansion costs. The reduction from 18% to 8% false alarm rate could eliminate approximately 2.5 million manual bag searches annually; at 10 minutes per intervention, this saves over 400,000 labour hours yearly.
Eliminating liquid cooling infrastructure can save millions in upfront chiller and HVAC costs, plus substantial annual energy consumption savings across a multi-line installation. Simplified maintenance requirements further reduce annual servicing costs. When these operational savings are aggregated over a 10-year lifecycle, conservative estimates suggest payback within 18 months, followed by annual operational savings that flow directly to the airport’s bottom line.
The financial case is clear: for airports seeking to justify capital expenditure to boards and stakeholders, the TCO advantage of advanced hold baggage screening systems provides compelling evidence that extends well beyond regulatory necessity.
Airports face mounting pressure to reduce their carbon footprint whilst increasing operational capacity. Hold baggage screening systems, operating continuously across multiple terminals, represent significant energy consumers within airport infrastructure.
Traditional high-speed CT systems require elaborate liquid cooling systems, including dedicated chillers, complex piping networks, and substantial HVAC modifications. These auxiliary systems increase capital costs and create ongoing energy demands that can exceed the scanner’s own power consumption.
The SDX 10080 SCT’s air-cooled architecture eliminates this infrastructure layer entirely. By removing the need for external chillers and their associated energy consumption, the system reduces total power requirements by up to 40% compared to liquid-cooled alternatives. For an airport operating 20 hold baggage screening lines, this translates to annual energy savings exceeding 500,000 kWh—equivalent to removing approximately 100 cars from the road.
The platform’s bearing-free gantry design extends maintenance intervals whilst reducing servicing complexity, cutting maintenance-related downtime by up to 40%. This holistic approach allows airports to meet their operational needs whilst simultaneously achieving their environmental and financial objectives.
Regulatory standards will continue to evolve—and airports cannot afford complete system replacements every few years. The SDX 10080 SCT’s modular platform architecture ensures today’s investment remains viable as threats and regulations change.
The system’s readiness for X-ray Diffraction (XRD) integration positions airports ahead of anticipated ECAC Standard 4.0 requirements for enhanced liquid explosive detection. XRD technology analyses materials at a molecular level, providing precise material characterisation beyond volumetric and density data. When these standards take effect, airports can execute field upgrades rather than requiring complete system replacement, protecting their capital investment.
Integration with Smiths Detection‘s iCMORE AI suite extends the platform’s utility beyond security into operational optimisation. By detecting not just explosives but also lithium batteries, narcotics, and other restricted items, the system becomes a multi-purpose asset supporting airline safety, customs operations, and cargo security from a single platform. This capability maximises the return on investment for the asset, supporting not only aviation security but also air cargo operations and customs requirements.
Advanced hold baggage screening systems deliver returns that extend far beyond regulatory compliance. For airport executives seeking to transform baggage operations, the strategic benefits are clear:
- Immediate capacity relief: 50% throughput gains unlock existing infrastructure capacity without expensive construction
- Significant cost reduction: FAR improvements and air-cooled operation provide the largest controllable levers for reducing operational expenditure
- Sustainability leadership: 40% energy reduction supports ESG targets whilst reducing operating costs
- Investment protection: modular architecture and software-driven upgrades ensure the platform remains viable through multiple regulatory cycles
The competitive airport of tomorrow will be defined not by the size of its terminals but by the intelligence of its operations. In an industry where margins are thin and competition fierce, the ability to process more bags, more accurately, with less energy and fewer staff represents the difference between managing decline and driving growth.
