Does anyone know what the current status is regarding the body scanners at the Munich airport? Can one opt out of body scanners there? (I know that one is supposed to be able to opt out under EU law, but I am trying to determine whether anyone has recently been able to do so).

If anyone is unable to opt out in the EU please post here, I know some nonprofit folks who'd love to hear about such incidents.

When I last went through Munich in February I had to switch terminals between flights on US and LH, and thus had to re-clear security. There were only WTMD.

I just wanted to update everyone. I connected in Munich yesterday, arriving on LH and connecting to a UA flight to Chicago.

There were no body scanners at the initial checkpoint for the non-Schengen gates in the area. However, there was more security for the area which housed flights to the US (it looked like flights for both United and Lufthansa for the US departed from that area, although it may have just been United flights). There was first a place where contractors looked at travel documents. This was before an area with the gates for US flights. These contractors sent some people to body scanners and others directly to the gate area. Fortunately, I was not sent to the body scanners, but I could not figure out how they determined which way to send people.

Following this, there was another area where contractors asked questions prior to reaching the gate area for the flights.

I could not tell whether opt-outs were allowed for those selected for a body scanner. I found this setup to be annoying, but it would have been worse if everyone was selected for a body scanner.

If it's in the EU, opt-outs are permitted, and they will result in a thorough pat-down. It's your choice if you want a private room or not. However, some airports/staff are more willing to give you the opt-out than others.

The UK airports with body scanners are particularly known for doing this. They will deny that an opt-out exists until you ask them to get the manager, who will then tell you that an opt-out does exist, and threaten you with the laws changing in the future. You will then be given the same frisk search as if you had triggered a metal detector as they were before. No, we don't understand why this happens every time, either...

In the past 3 months, Germany has had a major security 'crackdown', in which body scanners are being placed at all of the major airports, and being used on most passengers. At CGN, FRA, and DUS, the scanners are almost everywhere. At MUC, I think they are still only used on US-bound flights, as you said. Staff may deny the existence of the opt-out, and you may have the UK-style experience described above, instead of the Dutch experience, which is an immediate acceptance of your request to opt-out.

Check the two main forums dedicated to this topic:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/pract...y-scanner.html
and also
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/pract...er-2013-a.html

I just went through security and asked to opt out. There are two people working each scanner and they teamed up and immediately upon my request said that it is not possible to opt out. When I held my ground and stated that it was EU Law that I can, they said everyone does it so I should as well. When I didn�t budge they threatened me with Police and started getting loud in German and the women said �you are in Germany therefore you should speak German�I will not speak to you in English� When I kept my stance, the guy took me aside and did the normal pat down and tested my shoes and I was on my way. Terrible people.

Just had some acquaintances do FRA transit security following a DEL-FRA flight. One of the passengers subject to the body scanner was asked to raise her arms. Due to limited arm mobility following various surgeries and a fall at her house in India on the day before her flight to the EU, she couldn�t raise her arms for the scanner. The screener politely acknowledged that she could opt for the alternative screening and informed her in English that it wasn�t required to be scanned with her arms up. Her significant other said it was a privilege of age to not be viewed with suspicion when unable or unwilling to painlessly put their hands up.