Cologne Bonn Airport Celebrates Game-Changing Milestone with New Security Management Role in 2025

Written By: Binoy Mehera

Binoy Mehera

A curious mind driven by a passion for storytelling, I find inspiration in uncovering hidden perspectives, exploring diverse experiences, and shaping ideas into narratives that leave an impact. With three years of experience in journalism and content creation, I have developed a strong instinct for identifying meaningful stories, blending research with creativity, and presenting information in a way that connects with readers. My storytelling journey is guided by a fascination for culture, travel, lifestyle, and the human experiences that define our world. I aim to create narratives that not only inform but also spark curiosity, evoke emotions, and offer audiences a deeper understanding of every story.

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November 26, 2024 10:28 PM

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Cologne Bonn Airport is set to reach a significant milestone, as it will take over the responsibility of managing aviation security checks from the Federal Police beginning 1 January 2025. Flughafen Köln/Bonn GmbH, the airport’s operating company, will assume full control of the security process next year, ensuring greater operational autonomy.

The entrustment contract was officially signed today in a ceremony at the airport, with Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser and Thilo Schmid, Chairman of the Board of Flughafen Köln/Bonn GmbH, marking the agreement. Following the signing, Barbara Heuser, President of the Federal Police Headquarters in Sankt Augustin, presented the official entrustment certificate, formalizing the transition.

This shift in responsibility is expected to enhance the efficiency and management of security operations at the airport.

“Security is the top priority in aviation. The federal police are primarily responsible for ensuring this – in close cooperation with partners at the airports. We want to ensure the highest security standards while also keeping waiting times for passengers to a minimum. Just as we have already done in Frankfurt and Berlin, the airport operator itself is now taking over important parts of passenger and baggage controls in Cologne. This will increase flexibility and efficiency – and will, of course, be carried out under the supervision of the federal police. This allows the federal police to concentrate more on their important security tasks. This is beneficial for everyone involved,” says Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser.

“As an airport, we want to offer our guests the best possible travel experience. This includes optimally coordinating procedures and controlling essential processes from a single source. By taking over the control and organisation of security checks, we are opening a new chapter in the future-oriented development of our airport,” says airport CEO Thilo Schmid. “We are investing in the redesign of the control area and in the comprehensive use of the latest CT technology, which will gradually replace the existing control equipment as early as next year,” explains Schmid. “With the federal police as our partner at our side, we can continue to guarantee that we combine the passenger experience with consistently high security standards.”

Latest technology and redesign starting next year

The reconstruction of the control area and the implementation of the latest CT technology will begin in autumn 2025 and will be completed in summer 2026. Cologne Bonn Airport will then be the first airport in Germany to be fully equipped with CT technology at the control points. This will enable all passengers to leave liquids and electronic devices in their hand luggage during the check, which will simplify procedures and make them more efficient. A specially designed security lane will be set up for families to optimise processes. In addition, the control area will be visually integrated into the overall terminal concept and passenger routes will be made intuitive and pleasant. ‘The security control area will be virtually unrecognisable after the renovation. We are creating a completely new customer experience. The new technology and modern design will improve the quality of the passenger and employee experience alike,” says Schmid. ‘We are investing a total of around 20 million euros.”

Close cooperation with the federal police

The ‘Next Chapter’ project forms the basis for this realignment. In recent months, the airport has worked closely with the federal police to make comprehensive preparations, including creating training concepts, publishing tenders for the new control technology, and planning the organisation of the operational transition. As part of this, a new department has been set up to manage the controls. Practical tests are now being carried out in a so-called shadow operation. ‘I would like to express my sincere thanks to the entire project team and the federal police for their excellent cooperation,” says Schmid, CEO of the airport. ‘Thanks to the great commitment of everyone involved, we were able to decide on the handover on 1 January with today’s delegation.”

Federal Police to Oversee Security Until Year-End, Cologne Bonn Airport Takes Over in 2025

Until the end of this year, the Federal Police will remain in charge of screening passengers and their baggage, in line with Section 5 of the Aviation Security Act. The Federal Police will continue to ensure aviation security, overseeing legal and technical supervision, safeguarding control points, and carrying out other essential tasks to maintain high security standards. After the airport company assumes responsibility for organizing security checks in January 2025, a private security service provider will continue to conduct the actual screenings. Cologne Bonn will be the third airport in Germany, following Frankfurt and Berlin, to take full control of its security processes.

Investment in Passenger Experience and Operational Efficiency

With the transition of security check responsibilities, Cologne Bonn Airport is moving towards a more comprehensive and streamlined passenger experience. In 2023, the airport is set to launch its new Airport Operations Control Center (AOCC), which will centralize all key operational processes to enhance efficiency. Integrating security checks into this new framework will allow the airport to strengthen its control over essential operations, benefiting both airport partners and travelers.

The investment program at Cologne Bonn Airport also includes a complete overhaul of the security checkpoints, the reconstruction of immigration and emigration areas, the addition of 17 new catering units, and the reopening of the hand luggage departure area. In addition, a major refurbishment of furniture and facilities is underway, while duty-free areas and retail shops have already been revitalized. These upgrades aim to further improve the quality of the airport experience and enhance travel comfort for all passengers.