Full-body scanners “more hassle” for travellers

Machines to be introduced at Heathrow within weeks

Government plans to introduce full-body scanners to UK airports will inevitably lead to longer journey times and more hassle for travellers, said Paul Tilstone, CEO of the Institute of Travel and Meetings (ITM)

Paul Tilstone, ITM

"Most people travelling on business have in the past had access to lounges, which means that if you've got to turn up earlier to go through more security measures at least you're not overly inconvenienced because you've got places to work," he said

"But over the last 12 months, lots of people's travel policies have been downgraded [so they no longer have lounge access]. This is not going to make life easier for people."

Mr Tilstone said that while longer security processes are unlikely to stop people flying, it does add another element to the overall hassle factor. "It means that people are put off flying unless they have to," he said. "It's not the enjoyable exercise it once was."

But Nigel Turner, director of Public Sector & Industry Affairs for travel management company Carlson Wagonlit UK, said he believed the move to high tech screening would be seen in a positive light by passengers.

"Travellers are generally accepting of additional security measures, as it reassures them that processes are in place to protect their safety and well being," said Mr Turner.

Prime minister Gordon Brown has announced that full body scanners will be introduced at UK airports, following the failed bomb plot on a Northwest Airlines flight to Chicago on December 25.

Speaking on BBC One's Andrew Marr show, the PM said: "In airports, people will see gradually being brought in the use of full body scanners. They will see chacks for explosives traces being done on hand luggage... We will do everything in our power to tighten up on security.

"I hope we'll find a way of doing this in a more sophisticated way, introduced gradually."

Mr Brown said the scanners have already been ordered b y the British Airports Authority - they have acted very quickly."

A spokesperson for BAA confirmed that the x-ray machines, worth up to £100,000 each, will be introduced "as soon as practical".

"It is our view that a combination of technology, intelligence and passenger profiling will help build a more robust defence against the unpredictable and changing nature of the terrorist threat to aviation," said BAA.

BAA would not comment on airports other than Heathrow, but a spokesperson for the Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed plans to extend the use of full-body scanning technology elsewhere.

"Body scanners are now being introduced at UK airports as part of a package of measures to respond to the latest incident," said the DfT. 

"BAA will be deploying them initially at Heathrow within weeks, and we are consulting urgently with the airport industry on how they might best be introduced at other UK airports."

The DfT said the introduction of the high tech scanners is part of a package of measures to respond to the recent failed terror attempt.

"The UK already has one of the strictest aviation security regimes in the world, operating above the current baseline set by the European Union.  We are looking at all options for strengthening that further, and we will not allow the safety of our passengers to be compromised," said the spokesperson.

www.itm.org.uk   www.baa.com   www.carlsonwagonlit.com   www.dft.gov.uk