The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Why TSA's Nationwide CT Scanner Rollout Is Forcing Rolling Carry-Ons Into Checked Baggage
New TSA scanners are making some carry-ons too big for security, while Horizon 25 reshapes airport screening.
A new generation of airport CT scanners is altering how travelers move their luggage through security checkpoints. The rollout, funded at about $781.2 million, has focused on retrofitting checkpoints across hundreds of airports.
The scanners allow passengers to leave laptops and travel-size liquids inside their bags, but they come with a narrower tunnel opening than the old X-ray machines. This physical difference is affecting how carry-on bags fit through the security line.
As a result, a growing number of rolling carry-on bags are being sent back to the ticket counter, despite no change to airline size limits for carry-on luggage. The limitation is the scanner opening, not the bag size policy.
The article notes that the airline’s size limit for carry-ons has not changed; the constraint is the physical dimensions of the CT scanner tunnel. Travelers may need to gate-check or check bags to continue through security with their rolling suitcases.