Security Search FAQs: What to expect at Sumburgh Airport

What to expect when going through security at our airport

Before you enter the departure lounge, you need to go through the security cordon. As part of the required security checks, you will be asked to:

  • Present your boarding pass to the security operative, who will check that it is valid.
  • Take off all outerwear such as coats, boots, high heeled shoes, hats, scarves, gloves and place these in the trays provided. 
  • Remove anything in your pockets, for example phone, coins, wallet, passport, and place these in the trays provided. 
  • Electronic devices can remain in hand baggage for screening. When placing these items in the trays you must make sure that they don’t overlap. If they do you will need to use more than one tray. 
  • All liquids will need to be removed from hand baggage and liquid containers of 100ml or less should be placed in a plastic bag measuring 20cm by 20cm in trays for screening. The bag must not be knotted or tied at the top . This should be separate from your main bag(s) and placed in the tray. Each passenger may only carry one of these bags.
  • Place your bag(s) flat within the tray. 

The trays will then pass through our security screening equipment, and you will be asked to wait until a security operative calls you forward. 

When called please make your way through to the body scanner. Follow the instructions of the security team on how to stand. The scan only takes a few seconds to produce an outline image to highlight any concealed objects. You have the option to request an alternative search method to the body scanner and anyone unable to physically stand in the body scanner will be screened using an alternative method. 

The body scanner may also activate on a random basis. This is part of the regular testing that we must carry out to meet specific UK regulatory requirements. These requirements are the same at every UK airport. However, the equipment in place at our airport may vary from other airports. The equipment and different types of security checks in place at our airport meet the regulatory requirement for an airport of our size.