Please take your jacket off, because it’s time for the security scan. But do you have to take your shoes off as well? And what about your belt and jewellery? Our security colleagues hear these questions quite often. Allow us to explain the details so that things will go more smoothly the next time you pass through security.
How does our security scanner work? You stand on the indicated spot in the glass capsule and the scanner rotates around you for two seconds. The scan uses millimetre waves that bounce off your skin. This technology scans for unusual objects on your person. If the scan ‘goes off’, then you will undergo an additional check performed by one of our security staff members. In case you were wondering: they do not see you naked and certainly cannot look through your body.
This special scanner technology ensures that you hardly need to take anything off before undergoing the scan. This is in contrast to the walk-through metal detectors of the past, which required you to remove all metal items beforehand and place them in the bins. You may simply keep your jewellery on. And this is also how we look to determine whether you can keep your shoes on. Shoes with thick soles - think mountain shoes or platform soles - and shoes above the ankle such as boots must be taken off. This is because in the sole or high shoe you can hide objects and we don't want to take that risk. All other shoes, whether they are your trainers or stiletto heels, you can just keep them on. And now you may be thinking: what about my belt? You will have to take it off before going through the scanner.
Coats and jackets must be removed as well. When you step into the security scanner, you must stand with your arms raised. Otherwise, the scanner cannot distinguish between your arms and your torso. When you raise your arms, jackets and coats change the shape of your body. That is not very convenient, of course, because the scanner looks for unusual objects on your person. Remove your coat or jacket beforehand and place it in the bin with your hand baggage!
You might find that the next time you stand at the security scan, you still have to take off your shoes, even though you believe they are not too high or have a thick sole. It is always up to our security staff members to make this decision. This is always done to safeguard your security. Better safe than sorry.