Hand Luggage Bomb Threat Suppression

April 2007 - Passenger Terminal Today

The chance of a detected bomb harming passengers at airport security has been greatly reduced with the creation of the IU1200 hand baggage threat containment unit.

Devices to contain the blast of an explosion have been around in airports for some time, but they have been restricted to use with suspect baggage that is found to be suspicious at level 4 in the hold baggage screening system.

Until now there has been no solution available for use when a suspect piece of hand baggage is found at an airside/landside security check. And furthermore there is no European standard operating procedure for dealing with such a contingency.

The IU1200, designed and manufactured by Aigis, is very simple. If a baggage with handling history is detected as unidentified / potentially suspicious it can be quickly placed into the

IU1200 Threat Containment Unit and sealed off to prevent any damage before the terrorist has a chance to detonate it manually or a timer triggers the device.

“The great advantage is that there is no disruption of normal airport operations,” says Rupert Scott, regional sales manager of Aigis, the manufacturer of the device. “And because it’s so swift and easy to use there will be little adverse publicity and hence warnings to other terrorists.”

Aigis has just signed an order to provide 10 of the IU1200 devices to a major US airport.