[cjrp]

Even at airports where you have to take things out, there are ways of making it work. Big, clear signs in multiple languages/with pictures showing what you have to do, lots of "work surfaces" to reorganise your bag without blocking the queue behind you, staff that are there to help not just to bark at you, etc.

[vladvasiliu]

> lots of "work surfaces" to reorganise your bag without blocking the queue behind you

Yeah, this is what I've actually never seen in Europe. They mostly just expect you to pack everything back up quickly and tend to be annoyed if it takes some time. Which it usually does because I have to collect my belongings from several trays, some of which may have gone to additional checks, so they don't all come back together.

[cjrp]

I'd say Heathrow (at least T3) is pretty good at this. Lots of space before security, and then afterwards there's tables to put stuff back in your bag.

[enigma20]

When I',m flying to UK I always wonder if there are so many first timers, or people are so ignorant.

In Germany I never seen so many people have to open the bags after the scan, and have them re-scanned.

[JshWright]

This is the reason I opt to pay for TSA PreCheck (in the US, obviously). Not because it saves hassle (though it certainly does that), but because it pretty effectively filters out first timers.

[lesuorac]

Well not Germany, but the average American flies ~1/yr so yes the terminal is full of first time fliers effectively.