By Ian Walker

Gatwick Airport plans to start using a new ultraviolet light treatment to disinfect security trays by the end of this month.

The airport--which is owned by Vinci Airports and a consortium of investors managed by Global Infrastructure Partners--said the treatment guarantees a 99.9% microbe disinfection rate, reducing the spread of coronaviruses, including Covid-19, and other infections.

The system--which is provided by Smiths Detection--will see security trays passed under a covered "UV-tunnel" fixed underneath the exiting hand luggage screening system.

The airport will start using the system on eight lanes at the North Terminal by the end of this month.

"This new system has proven itself to be extremely reliable and provides a really high degree of reassurance as every single passenger and staff member using the system will have a tray that has only just been disinfected," Gatwick Chief Operating Officer Adrian Witherow said.

Write to Ian Walker at ian.walker@wsj.com