Manchester Airport trial ‘naked’ scanner
13.10.09
A X-ray machine that produces ‘naked’ images of passengers has started a trial at Manchester Airport. The airport says it will speed up security checks by quickly revealing any concealed weapons or explosives and avoid the need for passengers to take coats, belts and shoes off. But the full body scans will also show up breast enlargements, body piercings and a clear black-and-white outline of passengers' private parts. The airport has said that the images will be destroyed straight away.
The scanners, which cost £80,000 each, work by beaming electromagnetic waves on to passengers while they stand in a booth. A virtual three-dimensional image is then created from the reflected energy. The scanners, made by RapiScan Systems, have already been tried in New York, Los Angeles and Heathrow.
Sarah Barrett, head of customer experience at Manchester Airport, said most passengers did not like the traditional ‘pat down’ search. At Terminal 2, where the machine has been introduced, passengers choosing to use the service will no longer have to remove their coats, shoes and belts as they go through security checks.
Ms Barrett said the black and white image would only be seen by one officer in a remote location before it is deleted. She said: ‘The images are not erotic or pornographic and they cannot be stored or captured in any way.’ Passengers can refuse to be scanned, she said.
The Department for Transport will decide whether to install the scanners permanently in about a year's time.
Add to: del.icio.us | Digg it | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
To book manchester airport hotel or manchester airport car park at the lowest price, click on these links to two great Manchester airport car parking and Manchester airport hotel price comparison pages.
