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US rolls out body scanners
TRAVELCONSUMERDAILY.COM ASIA-PACIFIC travellers entering the US at Los Angeles and Chicago may have to undergo body scans by advanced imaging technology (AIT) units by the middle of this year, according to a list revealed by the secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security Janet Napoletano. However, almost incredibly, none of the New York City area airports – Newark, Kennedy or La Guardia – are on the list of 11 airports that will receive the first AIT units this coming northern summer. ATWonline reports Napoletano revealed that the first AIT unit had already been installed at Boston Logan airport. The other 10 airports to receive the new units by summer are Charlotte, Chicago O'Hare, Cincinnati, Fort Lauderdale, Kansas City, Los Angeles International (LAX), San Jose, Oakland (San Francisco), Columbus (Ohio) and San Diego, California. The US Transportation Security Administration said it expected to deploy a total of 450 of the AIT units by the end of the year. Meanwhile, ATWOline reports, Italy began testing two types of scanners last week at Rome’s main Fiumicino airport on passengers departing for the US and other "sensitive destinations". Tests will run for four to six weeks, with plans in place to install scanners at Milan’s Malpensa airport and Venice as well. EU Commissioner for Transport Siim Kallas is expected to present a report on the use of body-scanning technology to the European Parliament next month. That will be the basis for a decision on introducing EU-wide rules on such scanners. The US Department of Homeland Security says one factor taken into account before AIT units are deployed is the capacity to ensure privacy protection, including a separate, remote room for viewing images. "TSA ensures passenger privacy through the anonymity of AIT images," says DHS. "A privacy filter is applied to blur all images; images are permanently deleted immediately once viewed and are never stored, transmitted or printed; and the officer viewing the image is stationed in a remote location so as not to come into contact with passengers being screened." ATWOnline reports the US Transportation Security Administration also announced an expansion of the random use of explosive trace detection (ETD) technology at airport security checkpoints, where it will screen passengers' carry-on luggage and hands. "Passengers can now expect to see the increased random use of ETD technology in areas where TSA currently conducts screening such as the security checkpoint, as well as in the checkpoint queue and boarding areas," TSA said. Comment on this article |
