Screening of Persons, Baggage, Cargo and Mail
Screening fundamentals
Screening aims to prevent prohibited items from reaching the aircraft or sterile area. Persons are screened by walk-through metal detectors, hand-held detectors, physical search and body scanners where permitted. Cabin baggage is screened by X-ray; hold baggage by X-ray, explosive detection systems or reconciliation. Cargo and mail require a known consignor or regulated agent chain, or physical screening, plus secure transport and storage.
Concepts to master
- Prohibited items lists and their categories.
- Screening point design: flow, divestment, resolution of alarms, secondary screening.
- Image interpretation: threat recognition, not just object recognition.
- Access control of screened items - screening is meaningless if screened items are then left unattended.
- Reconciliation: matching bag to passenger.
- Human factors: vigilance decrements, fatigue, automation bias.
Traps
- Assuming an X-ray operator "sees everything"; image interpretation is a trained skill with known error patterns.
- Forgetting that screened items must remain under control after screening.
- Confusing known consignor (originates secure cargo) with regulated agent (handles it securely).
- Overlooking that mail may be screened by different means than passenger baggage.
Rule of thumb
Screen, then control. Worked example: a passenger's bag clears X-ray but is left at the belt while they shop. The correct response is to treat the bag as unattended and re-screen or investigate before it enters the sterile area.