Originally Posted by Land-of-Miles
You currently have the right to refuse to participate in this. I was selected last month and when it became clear I would have to prance about like an idiot (more so than normal according to my companion), I said "no I am not doing it". I was still escorted to the front of the line for the metal detector and given the normal search as if the detector had gone off.
I do not see how the current trial system could be implemented airport wide without causing big delays. It is self evident that it takes longer to process an individual than the walk through metal detector gates. They were issuing leaflets about the lack of threat to health, I am sure with the info about the amount of X Ray Radiation exposure someone from the medical profession could comment about the likely physical consequences of the trial, especially upon frequent travellers.
There also seem to be some interesting new scanners installed at T1 security screening but have never seen them in operation (since BA moved to Zone R), are these any different from the normal metal detectors?
Okay I know a little bit more now. My sister (a doctor) had to laugh. She said that flying in an airplane to JFK gives me radition of 100 pictures so she wasn't to concerned about it. Given my own (IT) security expertise I see this a first step to X-raying all passengers. They will do that by building something you'd have to walk through. But I suspect that development takes time.
On your question how they do this: They have a small area where you stand in front of a screen. It doesn't resemble a metal detector. It looked more like the pictures they took at the hospital one time.
Cheers,
Brenno.