New scanners have been put into operation at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport that can effectively see through clothing to check for concealed weapons, explosives or drugs.
Schiphol is one of Europe’s largest airports, with more than 44 million passengers passing through in 2005, and the new technology will help to streamline security checks.
The scanner works by using ultra-high frequency radio waves to outline body contours, making it easy for security personnel to see if people are attempting to smuggle illegal items on to aircraft. Scans take three seconds and allow passengers to bypass queues of people waiting to pass through conventional security checks.
In order to preserve passengers’ privacy, the face of the person is blurred and the images are scrutinised by operatives working in a separate room.
Such scanners have been tested at several airports but Schiphol is the first in the world to install them on a permanent basis. Two machines have been put in place, with a further 15 set to follow.
At the present time, passengers can choose either the body scan or the regular check.
Airlines flying to Schiphol from the UK include KLM, Aer Lingus, British Airways and bmi.
