How secure are potential travelers going to feel about purchasing cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages when they learn that only 300 full body scanners are planned on being installed at US airports this year, given that we have over 2,000 security lanes?
Aviation experts are concerned that terrorists will decide to use checkpoints equipped with only metal detectors to slip plastic or powder explosives past security.
The full body scanners currently in use in 19 U.S. airports are about 10 feet tall and clearly visible to the public. Unfortunately this means that it is easy for terrorists to determine where full body scanners are being deployed and to avoid those check points.
TSA (Transportation Security Administration) currently allows travelers to refuse to pass through scanners so long as they agree to a pat down by a TSA employee. This raises concerns because there are limits to how extensively TSA personnel will explore passengers private parts (i.e., bras and crotches).
Last Wednesday, January 13th, Representative Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, encouraged President Obama to purchase more than the 300 scanners that are planned to be installed at U.S. airports this year. Who will ultimately pay for these scanners remains an open issue.