Full body scans for US bound flights

tmyer2107

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe...hol/index.html

Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport will start using full body scans for US bound flights. I remember seeing this technology in its early stages a few years ago and remember the privacy issues. I am glad to see it actually going into use. I think they should have it at all airports and use it at random, kind of like the pre-boarding searches. The people that are agaisnt it because of the privacy issues would be very unhappy if all the airports suddenly switched to this technology, the random searches would be a good starting point. I am all for every airport using it. I value my safety more than my privacy.

mheslep

It may be necessary, but I am not 'glad' that this is so.

Keep up that policy for too long and we may end up loosing both.

lisab

Great, so now underwear bombers know to fly out of Paris or London instead of Amsterdam .

tmyer2107

True, I should have been more precise in my statement. I don't want this discussion to spin off into privacy issues related to the patriot act, etc. I just don't mind going through a full body scanner in an airport. It is clear that the explosives the terrorists are going to use will not be picked up by our current methods.

jtbell

The ultimate solution: eliminate all carry-on baggage, make all airline passengers check in all their baggage and clothing, and fly in the nude.

lisab

...because getting stuck in a middle seat between two fully-clothed large people isn't bad enough.

Astronuc

That still leaves the possibility of using implanted or internal explosives.

What we need is incorporeal transportation.

As the Moody Blues sang "See with your mind, leave your body behind" (from Sun Is Still Shining, To Our Children's Children's Children)

Greg Bernhardt

Will they scan children?

tmyer2107

Thats a good question. I'm assuming the answer is yes since it says all passengers will be scanned.

Monique

.. in addition all passengers will be thoroughly padded down by security personnel. I find a body search more intrusive than a scan that is only judged by computer software.

Astronuc

From the article

mm-wave implier IR, i.e. thermal imaging, which perhaps is passive, as opposed to active/invasive scanning, e.g., x-ray or neutron radiography.

Monique

I misread, the coming three weeks all passengers will be bodysearched (including the crotch, so be warned ), after that everyone will go through the scan.

Astronuc

I have nothing to hide!

or nothing but hide.

Borek

Perhaps we should allow for separate planes for those that don't want to be scanned?

f95toli

No, the systems are probably active (there is a radiation source). Most of them are based around far-IR (a few THz) so it is not really thermal imaging in the usual sense.
And no, they will not detect explosives, it is basically a camera that can see through most fabrics but it is till possible to hide explosives.
There are techniques for spectroscopy in the THz range that can detect the "fingerprint" of some explosives but they are still being developed and wont be ready for deployment for a number of years,

Greg Bernhardt

depending on the agent, I may opt to go through security a few times just to be sure!

Mech_Engineer

I'm not sure that a THz scan is any more intrusive from a privacy standpoint than X-ray scans of your luggage, or asking for your personal information when you buy the ticket, or randomly searching your luggage.

So the agents see you "nude," do we really have to be so prude about it?