Your First Shift Is a Sequence of Checks
Your first shift is easier when you treat each passenger as a short checklist rather than a guessing game. Missing an item can damage the airport's reputation, while confiscating something legal creates a different mistake. This Airport Contraband first day walkthrough follows the first-shift sequence in a recorded prerelease player session: check the tray, complete the body and luggage searches, process arrivals, then return to bed for the day summary.
The recording is player experience, not a test of every launch-version scenario. Its creator explicitly describes playing before release, so follow your own tutorial prompts if a station, timing, or binding differs. The official Airport Contraband Steam page confirms the broader loop of passenger inspections, contraband decisions, and progression between officers.
Open the Queue and Check the First Passenger
After the opening story and employee setup, head to the terminal. Open the queue tape so passengers can approach, then examine the belongings tray where they empty their pockets.
Use the Item Index to check an unfamiliar object's classification. In the recorded tutorial, the first restricted item is confiscated; the passenger is not arrested just for possessing that restricted item. Knowing that distinction early prevents an unnecessary arrest.
Send the passenger to body search and turn on the search lamp. Check clothed areas on both the front and back of the body, moving discovered legal belongings to the tray and dealing with prohibited items according to their classification. Turn the lamp off before directing the passenger onward.
Finish the Luggage Search Before Releasing Them
At the luggage station, open the bag and examine its contents. Move items between the luggage and tray to reveal anything covered by other objects. Check the index when you are unsure, confiscate restricted goods, and finish the control only after checking the contents.
The first passenger is your introduction to the whole sequence:
- Review the belongings tray.
- Complete the body search with the lamp on.
- Turn the lamp off and send the passenger to luggage search.
- Open and inspect the luggage.
- Finish the control when the passenger's belongings have been handled correctly.
The recorded player then repeats the process with the remaining passengers. A station being occupied can prevent the next passenger from moving there; finish the current search rather than repeatedly ordering someone into an unavailable space.
Check Arrivals, Review Reputation, and Rest
The tutorial next sends the player to inspect arriving passengers without assistance. Arrivals and departures are separate areas, so an empty queue on one side does not mean the entire shift is finished. Check the traffic information and complete the remaining passenger controls.
The reputation display helps identify the consequences of your decisions. Correct controls earn points, while errors reduce the result. Avoid treating every odd-looking possession as illegal: a mistaken confiscation can undermine an otherwise careful inspection.
In the recorded first shift, the supervisor then directs the player to use the intercom to clear the aircraft. After departure is granted and the shift is finalized, the instruction changes to returning to the employee quarters. Interacting with the bed brings up the day summary and lets the player proceed to the next day.
FAQ
Do I need to arrest everyone carrying a restricted item?
No. The recorded tutorial distinguishes confiscating a restricted item from arresting a smuggler. Check the classification and current instructions before choosing an outcome.
Why can I not send someone to luggage search?
In the recorded session, the destination station can already be occupied. Complete that passenger's luggage inspection to free the station.
How do I finish the first day?
Complete the remaining controls and follow the aircraft-clearance prompt. Once the shift is finalized, return to the quarters and use the bed to see the summary.