EU sets limits on body scanners
 

This should force the UK to make them optional, at a minimum.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45286987.../#.TsFRWFb4KUs

One hopes so, but I imagine the DfT will balk, delay and argue. Don't expect any changes soon :( .

I suppose a real strip search could be the only offered alternative. Doesn't say 'acceptable'.

HAM ran a trial on scanners until not too long ago. As far as I know it was discontinued because of too many false positives. The test involved a different technology than what is used at US airports I think.

There have been several threads here, often started by exbayern quoting German news sources. There were false positives caused by pleats, zippers, sweat stains and posture. According to one report, most passengers either needed a second scan or a patdown, or both.

The technology tested and rejected by Germany was the millimetre wave (MMW = radio) technology, exactly as used in many US airports. The US also uses backscatter (= x-ray = ionizing radiation) scanners.

Thanks for the info. I'll try to locate those threads. I'm only in HAM a few times a year and my current home airport doesn't have any scanners.

Went thru Brussels couple days ago, and will be happy to go back.
Keep your shoes on, and only metal detectors around.

Keep it up.

Finally some good news on this thread. Too bad it's from another continent.

This is a cross post from the other part of the forum - this is so confusing - but EU has not really set limits, they have put some guidelines in places so that more body scanners can be deployed all over Europe. Currently, in most European airports, there are none, just WTMD.

Wall Street Journal: EU's Airports to Use Full-Body Scans

from the WSJ article:
from the AP article:

The only good thing about this is that they are apparently limiting it to MMW:

I guess it depends on your point of view. I like the current system with WTMD much better, thank you.

It is important to me, too, but for most of Europe, which currently has just WTMD, this is one step forward, two steps back. It is nice that the EU Commission is looking out for everyone, but they are going to make security WORSE than it currently is in most places outside of the UK. I see nothing to be happy about, and I think the EU Commission is just capitulating to the Americans.

At least Germany is exercising some rational thinking and not implementing them at all.

Consumerist ran a short article on this today - and they included a direct link to the "Complete List of Airports with Whole Body Imaging/Advanced Imaging Technology Scanner" thread. ^