Warsaw’s Chopin Airport has confirmed that the first C3 computed-tomography (CT) security scanners—nicknamed “Smoczyce” or “the Dragons” for their bulk—will enter service between late June and early July 2026. The CT technology generates 3-D images that allow liquids and electronic devices to remain inside passengers’ hand-luggage, speeding up inspection without compromising security.
![Warsaw Chopin Airport to Debut C3 ‘Dragon’ Scanners, Eliminating Laptop & Liquid Removal for Summer Peak]()
For international travelers plotting itineraries through Poland, making sure the right travel documents are in hand is just as crucial as a quick security check. VisaHQ’s Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) streamlines visa and authorization applications in a single, intuitive interface, so passengers connecting via Warsaw—or any other Polish airport—can focus on enjoying the smoother C3 experience instead of worrying about last-minute paperwork surprises.
Airport management says the investment was triggered by a 7 % jump in passenger traffic in the first five months of 2026, when 9.38 million travellers used the hub; international passengers accounted for 8.7 million of that total. Peak-day throughput already exceeds 84,000 people, a figure expected to rise sharply once school holidays begin in late June. The C3 roll-out is part of a broader upgrade program that also includes re-routing road access to the arrivals level to reduce curb-side congestion and expanding the terminal’s self-service baggage-drop zone. Chopin’s operator notes that one-third of aircraft movements are now performed by low-cost carriers, a structural change that has shortened check-in windows and placed new pressure on security lanes during the morning wave of departures. From a passenger-experience perspective the biggest change will be the end of the onerous 100-millilitre liquid rule—still in force for most European airports—once Polish regulators approve higher liquid limits for C3-equipped lanes. Business travellers, who often carry multiple devices, stand to benefit disproportionately because laptops, tablets and power banks will stay inside bags. Chopin Airport is positioning the faster process as a differentiator against rival hubs in Vienna, Prague and Budapest, where legacy X-ray systems dominate. For corporate mobility managers, the upgrade means shorter dwell times and a reduced risk of missed connections for tight transfers through Warsaw, an increasingly popular Star Alliance hub. Airlines have welcomed the move; LOT Polish Airlines says it will help maintain turnaround punctuality as the carrier adds long-haul frequencies to Chicago, Seoul and Riyadh this summer. With Poland posting the fastest passenger-growth rate in the EU (8.3 % versus the bloc’s 1.4 %), industry analysts expect other Polish airports—starting with Kraków and Gdańsk—to follow suit with CT installations before the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) becomes mandatory in early 2027.
For international travelers plotting itineraries through Poland, making sure the right travel documents are in hand is just as crucial as a quick security check. VisaHQ’s Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) streamlines visa and authorization applications in a single, intuitive interface, so passengers connecting via Warsaw—or any other Polish airport—can focus on enjoying the smoother C3 experience instead of worrying about last-minute paperwork surprises.
Airport management says the investment was triggered by a 7 % jump in passenger traffic in the first five months of 2026, when 9.38 million travellers used the hub; international passengers accounted for 8.7 million of that total. Peak-day throughput already exceeds 84,000 people, a figure expected to rise sharply once school holidays begin in late June. The C3 roll-out is part of a broader upgrade program that also includes re-routing road access to the arrivals level to reduce curb-side congestion and expanding the terminal’s self-service baggage-drop zone. Chopin’s operator notes that one-third of aircraft movements are now performed by low-cost carriers, a structural change that has shortened check-in windows and placed new pressure on security lanes during the morning wave of departures. From a passenger-experience perspective the biggest change will be the end of the onerous 100-millilitre liquid rule—still in force for most European airports—once Polish regulators approve higher liquid limits for C3-equipped lanes. Business travellers, who often carry multiple devices, stand to benefit disproportionately because laptops, tablets and power banks will stay inside bags. Chopin Airport is positioning the faster process as a differentiator against rival hubs in Vienna, Prague and Budapest, where legacy X-ray systems dominate. For corporate mobility managers, the upgrade means shorter dwell times and a reduced risk of missed connections for tight transfers through Warsaw, an increasingly popular Star Alliance hub. Airlines have welcomed the move; LOT Polish Airlines says it will help maintain turnaround punctuality as the carrier adds long-haul frequencies to Chicago, Seoul and Riyadh this summer. With Poland posting the fastest passenger-growth rate in the EU (8.3 % versus the bloc’s 1.4 %), industry analysts expect other Polish airports—starting with Kraków and Gdańsk—to follow suit with CT installations before the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) becomes mandatory in early 2027.
