Rome Fiumicino Expands CT Screening with Smiths Detection
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Rome Fiumicino “Leonardo da Vinci” Airport is one of Europe’s leading international hubs and a benchmark for service quality, innovation and operational performance. Operated by Aeroporti di Roma (ADR), its latest recognition as Best Airport in Europe in the Over 40 Million Passengers category reflects sustained investment in technology, process excellence and passenger experience.
For ADR, security screening is an operational priority. It must maintain high levels of protection and compliance while supporting a checkpoint experience that remains efficient as demand increases.
As passenger volumes continued to grow, ADR needed to raise screening performance across a live, high-volume airport environment without compromising service quality or operational continuity.
Conventional X-ray screening placed greater demands on passengers and security teams. More items had to be removed from cabin baggage, and operators remained heavily reliant on manual image interpretation. In a busy terminal environment, this can increase queue pressure, slow processing and make consistent checkpoint performance harder to sustain.
The programme required:
For ADR, the requirement was not simply a technology refresh. It was a checkpoint modernisation programme designed to improve detection capability, reduce passenger friction and strengthen operational resilience.
Smiths Detection delivered HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX scanners, selected for CT imaging capability, detection performance, proven reliability, service support and integration experience in complex airport environments.
CT checkpoint screening:
HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX uses Computed Tomography and automatic explosives detection algorithms to create high-quality, real-time 3D images of cabin baggage. Across the initial deployment, 30 CTiX
units replaced conventional X-ray equipment and were integrated with automatic tray return equipment, operator workstations and IONSCAN
600 trace detectors.
Passenger experience:
With C3-approved CT screening, passengers can keep electronic devices and liquids of up to two litres in cabin baggage. This reduces divestment and supports a faster, less disruptive checkpoint
process.
Live-airport delivery:
Installation began in June 2022 and was completed in April 2024. To protect operational continuity, hardware was moved in and out of the
terminals overnight, with the new systems phased into service two at a time.
Expansion and AI-assisted decision support:
Following positive results from the initial 30 systems, ADR has purchased a further 24 HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX units as part of the next phase of its checkpoint modernisation programme. After comparative tests of AI-based Automatic Prohibited Items Detection Systems (APIDS),Smiths Detection’s algorithm also achieved strong results for accuracy and operational value. ADR has extended its use from two lanes to 15 lanes, where it is currently employed as operator assistance. In addition, ADR provided active and valuable support throughout the ENAC certification process for the Smiths Detection APIDS algorithm, which was successfully achieved in July 2026. This milestone enabled the deployment of the certified version of APIDS in “Alarm Only Viewing” mode, representing an important step towards wider operational adoption of AI-assisted screening capabilities at security checkpoints.
The initial deployment has delivered measurable operational gains:
The additional CTiX purchase and the extension of Smiths Detection’s APIDS algorithm from two to 15 lanes confirm ADR’s confidence in the
technology. The programme now provides a scalable checkpoint platform that supports higher screening performance, improved passenger experience and future automation.
ADR required a partner with proven CT screening technology, service capability and experience delivering complex checkpoint upgrades in live airport environments.
