London Southend Airport in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, completed the transition to next‑generation CT security screening in early February 2026. The airport says the new C3/CT equipment allows passengers to keep electronic items and liquids inside their hand luggage while they pass through security — a change that the airport expects will speed up queuing and screening times. (Passengers should note that liquids are currently limited to containers of up to 100ml under current UK rules.)
The airport has launched retraining for its security teams so staff can operate and interpret images from the new 3D/CT scanners. Those machines provide more detailed, three‑dimensional views of cabin bags and change how operators monitor items and assist travellers; airport materials and industry reporting say roles are evolving to emphasise both technical image‑analysis skills and customer service. The retraining programme began in late 2025 and is ongoing as new staff are recruited.
The upgrade follows a recapitalisation and change of ownership that involved Carlyle Group and Cyrus Capital Partners, which agreed a debt‑to‑equity restructuring of the airport in 2024. The rollout is also part of a sector‑wide move to meet Department for Transport guidance on Next Generation Security Checkpoints (NGSC), and comes after a rise in passenger activity at Southend — including easyJet’s reopening of a three‑aircraft base at the airport in 2025 — that increased demand on security lanes.
Local officials and council materials have long described the airport as an important employer in the area. London Southend says current employees and new recruits are receiving specialist training in 3D image interpretation and other NGSC‑related skills, which airport management and industry observers say are transferable across the aviation sector and give staff the chance to develop modern technical experience. Management says the overall goal is a smoother, faster travel experience for passengers using the terminal.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
