October 13th, 2009
London: In an initiative to enable airport security staff in the UK to beef up security, a human X-ray machine has been introduced at Manchester Airport that can instantly spot any hidden weapons or explosives.
The X-ray machine, made by RapiScan Systems, will scan passengers and produce naked images, will also show up any breast enlargements, false limbs, piercings, and a clear outline of passengers'' private parts.
“The black and white image will only be seen by one officer in a remote location before it is deleted,” The Daily Express quoted, Sarah Barrett, head of customer experience at Manchester Airport, as saying.
“Most of our customers do not like the traditional "pat down" search, they find it too intrusive, but they still want to be kept safe. This scanner completely takes away the hassle of needing to undress. The images are not erotic or pornographic and they cannot be stored or captured in anyway,” she added.
However, considering passengers’ interest due to the graphic nature of the images, they will have the option to refuse the virtual strip search at Terminal 2, and opt for the pat down search instead. The Department for Transport has installed them on trail and will decide whether to install them permanently at the end of the trial, which is expected to last for a year.
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