Manchester and Heathrow Airports Introduce Full Body Scanners

Reports now show that the UK government has directed Heathrow and Manchester airports to start using full body scanners on passengers effective February 1^st. Passengers traveling through Terminal 2 at Manchester Airport and Terminal 4 at Heathrow may be body scanned as part of the airport’s normal security procedures.

Manchester airport plans to introduce additional scanners in Terminal 1 and 3 by the end of this month. The government’s new security rules mean that it is mandatory for any passengers who are selected for a scan to participate. Any refusal to do so will result in the passenger not being allowed to travel.

Travelers can be chosen at random if they fail part of the security process or if they request a private search. The Manchester Airport’s head of customer experiences, Sarah Barrett, said that they understand that compulsory body scanning is a big change for customers. She said that they know the privacy concerns that are on customers’ minds. However, she wants to reassure passengers that their privacy will be protected.

Barrett went on to say that the images generated by the body scanner cannot be stored or captured in anyway. Manchester has been trialing the technology since October 2009, but people under 18 were not allowed to take part. Now, due to these new rules, minors will not be exempt. Girls and boys of any age will be required to pass through the body scanner if asked.

Although some airports in the UK are just now using body scanners, other places have been using them for a long time now. In fact, some airports in Russia have been using body scanners for years.