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Heathrow Rolls Out New Scanners Ending Liquid and Laptop Checks

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Passengers travelling through Heathrow Airport will no longer need to remove liquids or laptops from their hand luggage, as the airport has completed a full rollout of advanced CT security scanners across all four terminals. Heathrow said it is now the world’s largest airport to operate the technology at every security lane.

The high-resolution 3D scanners allow travellers to keep items such as shampoos, water bottles, tablets and laptops inside their bags during screening, significantly reducing the need for manual checks. Depending on regulatory approval, passengers may also be able to carry liquid containers of up to two litres, potentially ending the long-standing 100-millilitre rule introduced in 2006 after a foiled liquid explosives plot.

Airports in cities including New York, Hong Kong and Dubai have begun adopting similar systems to speed up security processes. Heathrow said the upgrade cost around £1 billion and comes as the airport pursues plans for a third runway.

UN aviation summit opens amid cyber threats, climate disputes, and geopolitical strain

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The UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) opened its triennial assembly in Montreal on Tuesday under the weight of cybersecurity threats, climate policy disputes, and global political tensions. The gathering comes as airports across Europe are still reeling from recent cyberattacks that crippled automated check-in systems, highlighting the vulnerability of aviation technology.

ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano warned that the aviation system, currently designed for 4.6 billion passengers a year, will need urgent transformation to handle projected traffic of nearly 14 billion passengers by 2050. Global passenger demand is expected to reach 7.2 billion by 2035, requiring as many as 670,000 new pilots by 2043.

The United States pressed ICAO to prioritize safety and security over environmental goals, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy arguing the green agenda should not overshadow immediate risks. Still, many delegates defended ICAO’s climate targets, even as airline trade group IATA admitted the industry is unlikely to meet its 2030 goal of cutting emissions by 5%. IATA chief Willie Walsh acknowledged financial challenges but stressed airlines remain committed to net-zero transitions.

Geopolitical rifts also loomed large. ICAO has censured Russia and North Korea for actions that disrupted international aviation systems. Moscow is campaigning to regain its council seat lost in 2022 and pushing for an easing of aviation boycotts, while North Korea accused ICAO of double standards in a complaint against South Korea.

Meanwhile, countries are grappling with labor shortages across aviation. India called for a global hiring code to prevent pilot “poaching,” and Brazil, facing a shortfall of mechanics, is working to boost diversity in the workforce. Only 3% of Brazilian pilots are women, despite women making up more than half of the population.

The summit runs through October 3 and will test whether ICAO can maintain its consensus-driven tradition of cooperation amid today’s overlapping crises of cyber insecurity, climate change, and geopolitical rivalry.

Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crashes in Kazakhstan, Killing 38

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An Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 passenger jet crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, claiming 38 lives and leaving 29 survivors hospitalized. The crash occurred after the plane diverted from its scheduled route between Azerbaijan and Grozny, Russia, crossing the Caspian Sea before descending rapidly and bursting into flames near the shoreline.

The flight, J2-8243, was reportedly forced to reroute due to an emergency situation that may have been caused by a bird strike, according to Russia’s aviation watchdog. However, aviation experts, including Richard Aboulafia of AeroDynamic Advisory, questioned this explanation, noting that bird strikes typically result in landings at the nearest airfield rather than significant deviations from the flight path.

Video footage of the crash, verified by Reuters, showed the aircraft crashing into the seashore and erupting in flames. Emergency responders extinguished the fire and transported survivors, including two children, to a nearby hospital. Efforts to recover the bodies of the deceased are ongoing.

Kazakhstan’s transport prosecutor, Timur Suleimenov, confirmed the recovery of the plane’s black box, which will aid in determining the cause of the crash. Preliminary flight tracking data indicated the plane had veered off its course along the west coast of the Caspian Sea before disappearing and later reappearing near Aktau, where it circled before crashing.

Officials have not clarified why the plane diverted across the sea. However, the crash follows reports of Ukrainian drone strikes in southern Russia’s Chechnya region earlier this month. These strikes led to temporary closures of several Russian airports, including Makhachkala, the nearest airport on the flight’s original route.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev expressed his condolences, describing the tragedy as a “tremendous sorrow for the Azerbaijani people.” He stated that while poor weather might have influenced the flight’s deviation, the crash’s cause remains under investigation. Azerbaijan Airlines suspended flights from Baku to Chechnya until the probe is complete.

Kazakhstan’s government has formed a commission to investigate the incident and provide support to the victims’ families. Both Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan pledged cooperation in the investigation. Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, extended condolences. Kadyrov noted that some injured passengers remain in critical condition.

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer, the maker of the crashed jet, also expressed its sympathies and pledged support for the investigation.