Picture of the week: Heathrow completes £1bn security upgrade for faster, smoother passenger journeys

T5 Security performing different tasks. Security staff help passengers with checks on personal belongings in trays at a security area in Terminal 5 at London Heathrow Airport.

Passengers travelling through London Heathrow Airport (LHR) no longer need to remove liquids or electronics from their hand luggage or manage plastic bags at security. The UK’s hub airport has become the largest in the world to fully deploy next generation CT security scanners across all four terminals, marking a major milestone in its long term investment programme.

The upgrade replaces traditional security lanes with state of the art CT scanners capable of processing thousands of passengers per hour while maintaining high safety and security standards. By producing clearer, more detailed images of cabin baggage, the technology significantly reduces preparation time at checkpoints, easing congestion during peak periods and improving overall passenger flow.

As well as speeding up the journey through security, the new system delivers environmental benefits. Heathrow estimates that nearly 16 million single use plastic bags will be saved each year, supporting the airport’s wider sustainability goals and reducing unnecessary waste for travellers.

The transformation builds on Heathrow’s strong recent operational performance. In 2025, the airport was named Europe’s most punctual hub, with more than 97 percent of passengers waiting less than five minutes at security. Baggage handling also improved, achieving a load rate of over 98 percent, ensuring an additional quarter of a million bags reached their intended flights compared with the previous year.

Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye said: “Every Heathrow passenger can now leave their liquids and laptops in their bags at security as we become the largest airport in the world to roll out the latest security scanning technology. That means less time preparing for security and more time enjoying their journey and millions fewer single use plastic bags. This billion pound investment means our customers can be confident they will continue to have a great experience at Heathrow.”

With faster queues, reduced stress and a smoother start to journeys, the completed rollout reinforces Heathrow’s ambition to deliver a world class airport experience while preparing for future growth.

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