Schiphol doing away with security screening at gates

Schiphol Airport will conduct passenger screening and carry-on baggage security checks at five centralized control points instead of at boarding gates, newswire ANP reported. The changes are set to begin on June 3rd. Passengers flying outside of Europe will most notice changes as they will no longer cross passport control, entering the tax-free zone only to get to another security check at the gate. The five security points are decorated with wood and natural materials to make passengers feel more relaxed. Schiphol Airport is also using smell- and sound-neutralizers to put travelers at ease. Schiphol CEO Jos Nijhuis claims that the new practice will enhance the comfort at the gates. "The security process will become much more pleasant. 'Security as service' we call it," he told ANP. The extensive renovations during the last two years at the airport have cost 400 million euros and the security point space have been extended with 45,000 square meters. The screening of passenger and carry-on baggage should take a maximum of ten minutes in the short future, Nijhuis said. Business class passengers will need five minutes in the security check at most. Schiphol is also developing new scanning equipment that will allow passengers to keep their laptops and liquids in bags during the security process.