Full-Body Scanners Being Installed At OIA

Oct. 28, 2010

ORLANDO, Fla. --

Security officials were installing controversial full-body imaging scanners at Orlando International Airport (OIA) Wednesday. Travelers will soon have to go through the scanners that take images that don't leave much to the imagination.

The work to install the scanners will last all week and, once they're installed, screeners will get an up-close and personal view of travelers to make sure no one is hiding anything dangerous under his or her clothing.

"There's a bit more detail than what I though it was going to be," traveler Aurea Synder said.

The scanners are being installed at the east and west terminals. Once you step in one, it'll scan your body and send the x-ray image to a TSA worker, who is in a different room and cannot see you. TSA officials will be looking for metallic and non-metallic threat items that could be hiding under one's clothing.

Groups like the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) call it a virtual strip search. In fact, EPIC is suing to stop the installation of the scanners around the country. The other question is who sees these images.

A TSA spokesperson said that the scanners' function to save and print the images is disabled. That statement is under scrutiny by privacy rights groups, who claim just because the function is disabled doesn't mean it can't happen.

"It's just kind of awkward for somebody to see everything on you, you know, your private area and everything like that," Synder said.

You do have the right to refuse going through the scanner, and your other option is a traditional pat down, which can take a little longer than the scanner.

TSA won't tell WFTV how many scanners are being installed, citing its policy.

A spokesperson said the goal is to get as many passengers through as possible, and that 95,000 people go through security every day at OIA.

The scanners could be up and running in two weeks.

OIA is just the latest airport to install body-scanning machines. Airports in Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, and Detroit, recently installed the controversial scanners.

TSA says there are more than 300 scanning units at 65 airports nationwide.

Officials Installing Full-Body Scanners At OIA

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