Manchester airport officials have defended its controversial new scanner which produces naked images of passengers, saying it will speed up security.
The airport’s head of customer service Sarah Barrett added that passengers would find the scanner preferable to a traditional body search.
The scanner, which was introduced this week, will show up breast enlargements, body piercings and show outlines of passengers’ genitals.
The introduction of the machine, which costs £80,000, means that passengers will not have to take off their coats, shoes or belts.
“Most passengers do not like the ‘pat down’ service,” said Barrett. “The scanner completely takes away the need to undress.”
She added that the images would be seen by one officer in a remote location, were not pornographic and could not be stored or captured.
Passengers have the right to refuse to be scanned by the new machine, at Manchester’s Terminal 2.
The Department of Transport will monitor the scheme for a year before deciding whether to install similar scanners on a permanent basis.
The scanners have been trialled at Heathrow and are gradually being rolled out in the US.
