Cologne Bonn Airport enhances CX with modernised CT security

Cologne Bonn Airport has opened a fully modernised security checkpoint with 11 CT screening lanes, enhancing passenger convenience, improving operational efficiency and supporting its wider terminal transformation. Photo: Köln Bonn Airport

Summary:

Cologne Bonn Airport has opened a fully modernised security checkpoint featuring 11 state-of-the-art CT screening lanes, becoming the first major airport in Germany to fully deploy the technology.
The €25 million investment enhances the passenger experience and operational efficiency, enabling travellers to keep electronics and liquids in their hand luggage during screening.
The new facility forms part of the airport’s wider ‘Next Chapter’ modernisation programme, supporting future growth through upgraded infrastructure and digital services.

Cologne Bonn Airport has opened its fully modernised security checkpoint, with travellers now having access to 11 state-of-the-art security lanes equipped with the latest CT technology. This makes Cologne/Bonn the first major airport in Germany to have fully equipped its security checkpoint with this technology.

The airport invested approximately €25 million in the redesign. The new security checkpoint is also a central component of the comprehensive ‘Next Chapter’ modernisation programme, through which the airport’s terminals are being modernised step by step.

“Today’s opening is an important milestone for the future of our airport,” said Thilo Schmid, CEO, Flughafen Köln/Bonn GmbH. “Our new security checkpoint is among the most modern facilities in Europe. It combines the highest security standards with significantly greater convenience for our passengers while also strengthening our airport’s competitiveness. This investment is a clear commitment to growth, quality, and customer satisfaction.”

Thanks to the new CT scanners, travellers no longer need to remove electronic devices and liquids from their carry-on luggage. The limit for carrying liquids has been raised to two litres per container. At the same time, the new systems enable faster processing. The technical modernisation is complemented by a new lighting and sound design, an intuitive wayfinding system, and a specially designed family lane – the ‘Kids Lane’. Here, steps allow children to place their luggage on the conveyor belt and take it off again on their own.

“Our goal was to take safety, efficiency, and the quality of the passenger experience to a new level,” said Airport Managing Director Cenk Özöztürk. “The new security checkpoint is far more than a technical upgrade. It represents a modern, digital airport that consistently puts the needs of its travellers first. With optimised processes, we’re creating a travel experience that’s more comfortable, less stressful, and better prepared for the future.”

Max Kownatzki, CEO, Eurowings, commented: “For many passengers, the security check is the moment that determines whether their trip gets off to a relaxed start. This makes innovations that make the process noticeably more pleasant all the more important. As the largest airline at the airport, we have supported this forward-looking project from the very beginning, because it embodies exactly what Eurowings stands for: making travel easier. Together with Cologne Bonn Airport, we are creating an even more comfortable travel experience – so that for many of our guests, that vacation feeling begins right at the airport.”

The modernisation of the security checkpoint is part of the comprehensive expansion of Cologne Bonn Airport. In addition to new dining options, modernised lounges, and digital services, the airport is continuously investing in improving infrastructure and the passenger experience.