Manchester Airport

Things go from bad to worse at Manchester Airport, where in addition to body scanners they have installed "smart gates":

The UK's Manchester Airport has installed biometric iris detection systems for access to secure areas of the airport; it has tested 3-D baggage screening technology; and now it is installing passenger holding areas that permit travelers to wear coats, jackets and shoes while detectors scan for dangerous items. Glass gates enclose passengers as they are scanned, then either a green door opens to allow cleared passengers to continue or a red lane directs them to a full-body scanner for further screening.

There's a little more info here at the Manchester Evening News, but not much more.

Has anyone been through this process? Does anyone know anything about it? Please comment here or get in touch if so...

By Alex Deane

Hat-tip: MB

Comments

[Bob]

An uninformed guess, but these may be the ones which fire jets of air at you to detect explosives or traces of other materials. They have them at the entrance to the CN Tower in Toronto.

[Dunstan Vavasour]

Sounds to me as if someone was given a budget for security measures, and has spent it on toys/gadgets.

[Mr. X]

Went through this on the way to the US recently, a bit odd but I didn't protest as I wanted to get on the plane ;-)

I would hardly describe myself as someone to be profiled, but I'm not sure how you're "picked" for scanning...

[1984]

These 'smart gates' unfortunately throw up as many problems as they may 'solve'. I suspect that they were introduced to get round the 'random' picking of passengers for body scanning. However, anyone with metal implants, such as hip replacements will trigger these 'smart gates' every time, and will then get body-scanned everytime. These unfortunate individuals will be frazzled in the cancer boxes, sorry body scanners, and will also be forced to be 'virtually' stripped naked every time they fly - no if, but plenty of butts!

[Pete]

I see the majority of the comments on the M.E.N site are of the "anything for safety" type.

If only people would realise that this adds nothing to their safety

[Redacted]

@Pete: Agree, in fact, my feeling is that whatever effect these gadgets may or, more likely, may not have on "physical security", the overall effect of them is in fact to increase fear.

The reason is because these measures always come hand in hand with coercion. What that means is a reduction in the power of the individual to make decisions, and personal choices. When we have less power to make decisions, we are by definition more helpless, more like babies. The more helpless and infantile we feel, the more we fear things.

In my opinion this is a vicious circle. The more nannying and coercion that is imposed, and the more helpless and fearful people feel as a result, the more they cry out for extra safety measures, which in turn bring new restrictions on their autonomy, etc etc, and which is, ironically, the opposite of what they really need.

[Steve999]

Print these out and hand to the people in the WBI line...

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...9_869034_n.jpg

http://www.rupture.co.uk/Terminal%204.html

Should cause huge backup at pat-down line!

[Purlieu]

From the MEN site ...
"But if the alarm sounds, the red lane opens and passengers are then asked to go through one of the new body scanners – anyone who refuses will be barred from travelling"
Yes it says BARRED