Soon, breeze through Dubai airport security without worrying about liquids, laptops

Dubai Airports is trailing tech that will make security checks even quicker

Last updated:
Dhanusha Gokulan, Chief Reporter
3 MIN READ
The current trials of the new security machinery have been "very successful," Griffiths told Gulf News.
The current trials of the new security machinery have been "very successful," Griffiths told Gulf News.
Shutterstock

Dubai: Passengers at Dubai International (DXB) may soon be able to pass through security without removing liquids over 100ml or laptops from their bags. Similar to measures recently greenlit in Europe, travellers will no longer be required to remove liquids exceeding 100ml from their bags or take out laptops at security checkpoints.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, confirmed to Gulf News that trials are underway using new state-of-the-art checkpoint scanners provided by Smiths Detection, a British company that was recently awarded a contract by Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) for their deployment across Terminals 1, 2, and 3.

Griffiths emphasised the importance of enhancing efficiency at DXB. He said, “It's absolutely essential, because obviously we've grown 20 per cent in the last 10 years without any delivery of additional major infrastructure," Griffiths said.

“So trying to make our existing infrastructure more and more efficient is a very, very important part of our growth strategy over the next few years."

The most cumbersome part of the travel journey, passengers often resent the limit on LAGs (liquids, aerosols and gels) in cabin baggage, as well as the obligation to extract electronics such as laptops and tablets from hand luggage.

The world's busiest hub set another high with 46 million passengers in the first six months of 2025, up 2.3 per cent year-on-year. It includes the 22.5 million during the April to end June period, higher by 3.1 per cent.

Trials underway

He added, “We are already installing new machinery into both hold baggage screening and passenger baggage screening, which means that laptops and liquids can stay in bags.”

Hold baggage screening is the process of inspecting checked luggage at airports to detect prohibited items, especially explosives, before they are loaded onto aircraft. 

The current trials of the new security machinery have been "very successful," Griffiths told Gulf News. “We are seeing a much quicker and more reliable service,” he said. The primary focus of these trials is to ensure absolute security and improve the quality of screening, followed by enhancing speed and efficiency.

“The first and foremost thing you've got to make sure that the security is absolute and that the quality of that security is improved as a result of the new technology. That's the first priority," Griffiths explained.

“The second priority, of course, is the speed and efficiency of how the security technology works. And we are very happy with both of those things, because they do actually deliver things which are great improvements over the current system."

When will it be rolled out?

While a specific timeline for the full rollout of these new rules is dependent on the complete installation of the new machines and the materialisation of delivery schedules, trials are actively underway.

"As we roll out the new technology... we've got machines in trial at the moment," Griffiths confirmed, adding, "If all goes well and the delivery schedule that we've been promised actually materializes, then hopefully we can have those rules in place, which will be easier for customers and better for staff and better for the entire airport experience and reputation."

He also said the technology is already in action at several international airports, indicating a global shift towards such passenger-friendly security measures.

The overarching goal at DXB is to “frictionless this experience at DXB, so that people can just breeze through the airport without stopping,” said Griffiths. This emphasis on customer service aims to provide travellers with more time to "arrive at our lounges and restaurants and do shopping and, you know, just really hand them back that time so they're not standing in line waiting for things."

The UAE has been investing heavily in aviation technology. For example, at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, they've implemented seamless face recognition check-in process throughout" that "takes just moments for you to basically do the security clearance. 

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