Massive change to security procedures at Sydney Airport
Sweeping changes will bring Sydney into line with other airports.
By David Flynn, August 9 2024
Executive Traveller exclusive
Sydney Airport is gearing up for a significant change to how passengers on international flights will make their way from check-in desks to the ‘airside’ zone of lounges, eateries and duty-free shops.
The rollout of modern ‘3D’ scanners is already reducing pre-flight hassles by allowing travellers to keep laptops, liquids, gels and aerosols in their carry-on bags.
However, the current layout of Sydney’s T1 international terminal requires passengers to first go through the automated passport gates before they are funnelled into the security checkpoints.
But that’s set to change, with Sydney Airport revealing plans to overhaul the T1 ‘security hall’ and swap the location of both zones.
Under the new arrangement, travellers will go through the security checkpoint first, and then continue to the passport gates.
A Sydney Airport spokesperson confirmed the plans to Executive Traveller, describing them as part of a broader upgrade being undertaken “in line with the Government’s mandated security requirements” including “the introduction of new body scanners and CT machines with automated bag processing.”
“Once complete, passengers departing internationally will pass through airport security prior to passport control with improvements to the T1 security hall targeted for completion in Q4 2025.”
The changes will bring Sydney Airport into line with the process at the international terminals of Melbourne and Brisbane.
Sydney Airport is now on the cusp of reaching pre-pandemic passenger numbers, with just over 4.1 million international passengers in the first quarter of this year – a 25% increase over the same period last year, and a 96.6% recovery rate on the same time in 2019.
Also read: How Luke Mangan is elevating Sydney Airport’s dining
03 Aug 2020
Total posts 22
Having literally just just passed through Sydney international security I can say that on the whole the security staff did a good job ... I just picked the wrong lane with a family of 3 using, 11 ... yes 11 trays for their "cabin" baggage. With security expected to be the first stop it would be great if they had people checking bags prior to security like they do during the peak times at the Qantas terminal
30 Aug 2019
Total posts 30
Genuine question, can someone please tell me why this really matters which order you do things in? I personally don't see the benefit of doing one before the other? Genuinely curious how this will change things?
18 Apr 2023
Total posts 3
The issue is for customers who have non-compliant items in their hand luggage. Doing security first allows them to return to check in, to send their alcohol, oversized toiletries etc
Completing immigration first means this isn’t possible and the items have to be confiscated and discarded.
22 Jan 2019
Total posts 15
I think the premise is to screen travellers sooner in the flow from kerb to plane is better.
The time of actual processing through security is gen slower than border control (ignoring wait times)
20 Nov 2015
Total posts 483
I just hope the flow from the old Express Lane area is improved and it also opened back up to high status frequent flyers.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Jan 2017
Total posts 27
The problem with 3D scanners, and allowing everything to remain in the bags, is the extreme slow process as the operator has to look twice as hard on his screen. We end up putting out bag, jackets, wallets, telephones, belts and shoes on the conveyor belt, which is full, go through the body scanner and wait on the other side for a fair bit of time until bags and trays go through (and I had gone through the international business class channel in Sydney). Not exactly faster as I find the old system much more efficient even if it means removing one's laptop and putting it with the rest of the stuff on the tray.
05 Mar 2012
Total posts 14
I've seen the same issue. I've been surprised how many times my bag has been rejected for secondary searches, only to have the agent spend a bit more time w/ the scan and tell you that "you're good to go".
I'm honestly not sure why they still have a single operator physically next to the scanner. Why not send the scans to a group of operators who just grab them from a queue? I'm not sure the magic ratio, but if you had 8 scanners and 10-12 operators, I suspect you'd have much better throughput - and much happier passengers.
03 Oct 2011
Total posts 39
Multiple operators examining scans is a good idea. I know many systems (such as in LHR) have each tray barcoded, so an operator flags a tray and indicates what needs to be checked, then a different agent grabs the tray and checks it. (Not that I'd ever suggest LHR has good security, it's horrible.)
22 Jan 2019
Total posts 15
I think the premise is that the sooner in the flow from kerb to airplane travellers are screened is better.
Locally, as in AUS, security screening processing time is on average longer than passport control (ignoring wait times). If so, congestion maybe more likely at security which can then impede processing at passport control when security is second.
Bit theoretical but...
Also acts as a preventative for non travellers entering the passport control area, but don't think that would rate too highly on the reasons.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Jun 2017
Total posts 77
If they put the scanners before the exisiting passport control there would be more space for shops!
14 Nov 2011
Total posts 23
That’s great. Now all they need to do is put about another 50 passports readers on arrivals so the queue doesn’t snake through duty free.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Jun 2020
Total posts 16
They need to fix arrivals. Waited for 45 minutes with my kids as could t go through automated gates due to age. Then for some reason people who could use the auto gates wanted to line up with us. No idea why
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
15 Nov 2020
Total posts 1
I think the system is as good it can getA before B or vice versa will not make any difference more stations open for security will.Maybe an airline paid extra ones will offer incentives and a point of differece such as domestic into the lounge I realize that can't be done but an airline express lane with it's own secuirty could work and reduce costs and offer a point of difference Priority check in and priority customs along with on flight clearance in bound. So direct to priority luggage.
29 Jan 2012
Total posts 184
Simply to swap over the processes is a monumental security measure - if the security checks are done after passport control then restricted articles will be air-side which could be a security nightmare. Makes sense to do security first, then passport control 2nd - as they do in MEL and BNE. As someone mentioned previously, then also allows passengers to return to check in to sort out their restricted articles rather than having them confiscated.
01 Nov 2017
Total posts 19
Yes, please fix arrivals at SYD. Passport scanning machines all the way down the corridor just before duty free would help if there's no other space elsewhere.
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Massive change to security procedures at Sydney Airport