Overview
- The TSA has begun a nationwide rollout of computed tomography (CT) checkpoint scanners that produce 3‑D images of carry‑on contents and let officers inspect bags without opening them.
- TSA spokesperson Daniel Velez confirmed the new units have smaller tunnel openings than the machines they replace, and airports are already reporting bags that previously cleared checkpoints now won’t pass through the CT lanes.
- The scanners’ openings are reported at about 24.5 inches wide by 16.5 inches high, which cuts only a few tenths of an inch of clearance per side but can stop soft or overstuffed carry‑ons from fitting flat into screening bins.
- When a bag won’t fit, TSA officers may hand‑inspect it, route it to an older scanner if one is available, or require the traveler to return to the airline counter to check the bag, a result that can add time and same‑day baggage fees.
- TSA advises passengers to check airline size limits and avoid overpacking external compartments because the rollout — roughly 1,200 CT units installed at nearly 300 U.S. airports as of late September — will continue to change local checkpoint practices and traveler experiences.