BODY scanners which quite literally reveal all are to be introduced at Manchester Airport.

Bosses admit the new high tech machines, which can see through clothing, leave 'little to the imagination' and will even detect prosthetic limbs and breast implants.

But they rejected claims that the machinery - brought in to improve security and speed up waiting times - will be invasive.

However, staff will have mobile phones confiscated so that they cannot capture the images.

The scanners are designed to detect dangerous objects passengers may be attempting to smuggle on board aircraft and will be trialled in Terminal 2 for a year from today. If successful, the pioneering technology could be rolled out to airports across the country within two years.

X-rays

The £80,000 scanners work by bouncing X-rays off passenger's skin to produce outline black and white images of their bodies.

The image is then transferred to a security officer, based in another part of the building, who will electronically confirm whether the passenger can proceed or if a manual search is required.

Bosses hope that the pilot will speed up the security process with passengers no longer having to remove coats, jackets, shoes and belts.

Manchester Airport spokeswoman Sarah Barrett told the M.E.N. that passengers will be able to opt out of going through the scanners during the trial and insisted that privacy will not be compromised.

She said: "Our passengers tell us that they don't like being patted down by security staff at airports, but they understand that it's a necessary part of keeping them safe.

"Imaging technology offers a potential alternative, but we know that some people see it as controversial - that's why we're running the trial. The process is entirely anonymous. Imaging technology does not allow security staff to see passengers naked.

"The image produced is a black and white, ghost-like outline of an individual's body, without any distinguishing features, such as hair or facial features, making it impossible to recognise people but simple to detect concealed threats."

Children will be asked to take part in the trial but only with their parents consent. And airport chiefs say they have received positive feedback from the Muslim community, amid concerns that faith groups could view the technology as `invasive'.

Reassured

They reassured passengers that the data will not be stored on the system and staff operating the scanners will have mobile phones confiscated before starting their shifts so that they cannot capture the images.

The scanners emit `low levels' of radiation, but tests have shown that people can safely pass through the equipment five thousand times a year, according to Department of Health checks.

They say that anyone passing through the scanners 20,000 times will be subjected to radiation levels equivalent of one dental X-ray.

Manchester is the second airport in Britain to trial the machinery - Heathrow launched a similar pilot in 2004. The results will be studied by the Department of Transport before the decision is made on whether to make the scanners compulsory at airports across the country.

Last week, the aviation authorities in the United States purchased 1,000 of the state-of-the-art scanners with an announcement expected imminently on their future use.
Tweet