4 ms·

What the article doesn't mention, but is very important to note, is that unlike in the US passengers can not opt out. If you don't want to go through the body s

by objclxt 14y ago

What the article doesn't mention, but is very important to note, is that unlike in the US passengers can not opt out. If you don't want to go through the body scanner you simply aren't going to travel. This is one of the issues that the EU has with them.

nodata 14y ago
> you can not opt-out Since when? Why can't I opt out?
- jrabone 14y ago
  In Edinburgh at least, if you are "chosen" (hahaha) for a body scan and refuse, then you can't fly, simple as that.
  - 46Bit 14y ago
    It's at all UK airports with these, I believe. On the flip-side I've flown several times since the introduction and never been singled out for forced irradiation so it's not certain you'll be made to do it.
jvdh 14y ago
At AMS[0] you can opt-out, I've done so every time I went through there. They will look at you funny, ask you why, and you will be patted down, but they will allow you to fly. [0]: Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
- dpark 14y ago
  I wish I'd known that. I had to go through one in Amstersam last month. That's the first and only time I've ever gone through one, despite flying a dozen of times since they were installed in the US. They're generally not hard to avoid in the US. Most airports have at least one line where they aren't being used (often the line nearest to the first-class/priority ID-check line). It's not hard to just get in that line after the ID check. The one time I've been told to go through the backscatter scanner (in the US), I told the agent I wanted to opt out, and she just directed me through the metal detector and that was the end.
agwa 14y ago
Really? Less than a year ago the EU adopted new regulations that required member states to allow passengers to opt out: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/1343&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/1... (see paragraph 6)
- semanticist 14y ago
  They're certainly telling people that there's no opt-out - I guess most people who turn up to the airport don't have the luxury of refusing the scan, being turned away, and then taking the government (or airport operator) to court. The current UK government isn't what you'd call EU-friendly, either.

by objclxt 14y ago

nodata 14y ago

> you can not opt-out Since when? Why can't I opt out?

jrabone 14y ago
In Edinburgh at least, if you are "chosen" (hahaha) for a body scan and refuse, then you can't fly, simple as that.
- 46Bit 14y ago
  It's at all UK airports with these, I believe. On the flip-side I've flown several times since the introduction and never been singled out for forced irradiation so it's not certain you'll be made to do it.

jvdh 14y ago

At AMS[0] you can opt-out, I've done so every time I went through there. They will look at you funny, ask you why, and you will be patted down, but they will allow you to fly. [0]: Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

dpark 14y ago
I wish I'd known that. I had to go through one in Amstersam last month. That's the first and only time I've ever gone through one, despite flying a dozen of times since they were installed in the US. They're generally not hard to avoid in the US. Most airports have at least one line where they aren't being used (often the line nearest to the first-class/priority ID-check line). It's not hard to just get in that line after the ID check. The one time I've been told to go through the backscatter scanner (in the US), I told the agent I wanted to opt out, and she just directed me through the metal detector and that was the end.

agwa 14y ago

Really? Less than a year ago the EU adopted new regulations that required member states to allow passengers to opt out: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/1343&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/1... (see paragraph 6)

semanticist 14y ago
They're certainly telling people that there's no opt-out - I guess most people who turn up to the airport don't have the luxury of refusing the scan, being turned away, and then taking the government (or airport operator) to court. The current UK government isn't what you'd call EU-friendly, either.