Irish airport introduces new full-body scanner
The body scanner is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland: PA
A new full-body scanner has been introduced at Belfast International Airport in a bid to boost security.
It is the first of its kind to be used in Northern Ireland, and will be used to detect any suspicious items carried by passengers.
Any suggestions of invasion of privacy have been denied, with officials explaining that the machine creates no images of the person being scanned, rather it is a mannequin-style diagram highlighting areas that may need further checking.
The diagram is then automatically deleted after it has been cleared by a security officer.
PA
John Doran, managing director of Belfast International Airport, told thePress Association: "Airport security is of paramount importance and we are committed to ensuring the safety and security of the millions of passengers who use Belfast International Airport every year.
"The technology employed by the scanner we are rolling out is designed in such a way that it maintains the aviation security in line with the latest Government requirements whilst also maintaining the privacy of the passenger."
The body scanner will go live on 8 September, and passengers will be randomly selected to pass through it, along with those who activate normal security checks.
The news comes just as body scanning of selected passengers was introduced at Edinburgh and Glasgow airports last week.
The security measure began on 1 September, and, as in Belfast, passengers will be chosen at random, or if an extra security concern is raised, like activating the metal detector, according to the BBC.
It is thought the scanning only takes a few seconds, and the process is the same, with images being deleted as soon as they have been assessed.
It is mandatory for selected passengers to undergo the scan, and any who refuse will not be allowed to board their flight.
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