The government has begun installing full-body scanners and other high-tech facilities to beef up security at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday.
Department of Aviation and Navigation Deputy Director-General Han Chen-hua (韓振華) said that airport security personnel used to conduct a body search on passengers who triggered alarms on metal detectors, but “because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are speeding up the installation of zero-contact security devices.”
Five full-body scanners have been installed at the airport — three in Terminal 1 and two in Terminal 2, Han said, adding that passengers would be asked to enter body scanners if security personnel notice something suspicious.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications via CNA
Next year, a new carry-on luggage inspection system would be installed in Terminal 1, which automatically recycles trays and separates normal luggage from that suspected of containing prohibited items, he said.
More state-of-the-art aviation security devices would be installed in Terminal 3, which is under construction, he added.
Aside from full-body scanners, the terminal would be equipped with a remote security monitoring center and computed tomography scanners that would be able to detect explosives, Han said.
The ministry is also planning to have smart aviation security systems installed at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport), Taichung Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport, he said.
Since 2019, the government has enforced a one-stop security system to waive the inspection of checked baggage of transit passengers from the US, Canada and New Zealand, which has also helped minimize person-to-person contact, he added.
The government was planning to discuss with aviation officials in the three nations waiving the inspection of carry-on luggage, but the talks were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Han said.
Taiwan’s airports have since June also implemented comprehensive security inspections for exported goods in accordance with the latest International Civil Aviation Organization cargo security policy, he said.
The total number of security inspections per month has reached 1.58 million, he added.
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