Do they have bomb-screening for checked luggage at European airports?
 

I learned on the U.S. board that the FAA inspector general admits that some U.S. airports have $1 million bomb screening devices sitting in warehouses that have never been brought on line. Some airports don't have any bomb screening, and the inspector general declined to name them for obvious security reasons. <BR> <BR>Do European airports have mechanical bomb screening for checked luggage? How about hand-screening?

Italy does.

Traveler--DOn't know exact answer for you--but....if checked luggage that comes down the carousel isn't picked up right away in Paris at CDG airport, security there literally "blows it up"-assumes it has something in it and disposes of it...very true---it happened while we were there.....

I recall reading someplace that UK airports do, they've had a great deal of problems in the past from terrorists. <BR>Further, I do know that at baggage lockers all over the world your luggage is routinely x-rayed before it is allowed to be locked up. <BR>I have experienced this in France, Italy and Germany.

Not all airports in Europe are equipped with the semtex detecting machines... <BR>but it might comfort you to know that at most major airports, after screening with x-ray machines, bomb sniffer dogs are used before the luggage is boarded. <BR> <BR>With all the talk about procedures for passengers boarding the planes, I'm surprised I haven't heard more about improved security BEHIND the scenes - where most US airports have the biggest problems. <BR> <BR>PB

Definitely in the UK - at least at the major airports. We have long had problems with terrorism and airport security reflects that. <BR> <BR>I know for sure because there was a great fuss a couple of years ago when someone tried to take a Christmas Pudding abroad with them - apparently it has exactly the same density as Semtex and it caused a bomb scare!