Yeah, the deterrent that deters law abiding citizens from flying...

The next 12 months or so are going to be interesting to see how these scanners actually affect passenger numbers and the airlines' profits.

I love the way terms like "rights" and "civil liberties" are chucked about. With some people, everything they either don't like, requires them to give something back or they just don't agree with is infringing their "rights"


God I'm getting old....I remember when it was all fields around here

Give it 12 months and we'll see how many of those scans are floating around the internet. It's inevitable! It's also the major problem when you have private security guards conducting the scanning rather than the Police or Customs officals.

So you are more than happy to have your body image taken everytime you fly and stored on a database?

I'm not arguing about security at an airport - I like it, I feel safe (even though I know that some of it is superficial).

What I don't like is the body scans and what they can see in the pictures - surely they have the technology to scan you without such an invasive looking picture. It looks like you are naked to the viewer (and I don't care if they are specially trained or not). That resulting picture is an invasion of civil liberties. So why not tinker with the technology so it can achieve its aim without the pic.

Oh and the cynic in me thinks it will only be a matter of time before pics from the scans are bandied around the internet with claims of it being some celebrity or politician.

Bugger. I was conned into spending money on a test

What’s the problem Dean, you got something down your trousers you don’t want anyone to see?

Seriously mate, those who are offended by it will stop flying. Maybe 0.0001% of passengers.

And so what if someone shows a grainy x-ray image of your ass on the internet. Unless it has a large label saying “THIS IS DEANS ASS” then who knows.

Get over it.

Mine is so big it won't fit on the screen.

But, seriously I do have an issue with images being stored that normally would be reserved for my professional work (just kidding). I also have my doubts it will make flying safer.

An alternative, as I suggested earlier, is a “bomber special”, where passengers aren’t scanned.

I for one wouldn’t be flying on it. The rest of you, go for your life. We might be seeing scans of what’s left of you on CNN – if they find enough bits.

Superb

I bet those people that have lost someone in a plane crash caused by terrorists, would happily have unlimited scanning - anything if there was the remotest chance it could avert another disaster.

I would rather my 'human rights be violated' in the form of a body scan than risk the chance of someone smuggling something through.

What happens if muslim ladeis veiled up refuse to remove their veils due to their human rights being exploited or refuse a body search? Surely a scan is better than an intimate search or are they allowed to refuse that as well.

Human rights? what about the human rights of those on the plane that would rather tight security and increase in safety?

Its a bodyscan, it isnt a vaginal/rectal examination. They are not interested in the shape of your tits/fanny/bum/belly - they want to know if you have something strapped to you.

Mate, I served in the Navy. Not a lot of privacy on board a warship!

Well, Iolandes comments above would be reflected by a lot of female passengers and I would assume female passengers make up about 50%. Also people with devout religious beliefs would be affected and may stop flying. That's greater than 0.0001%. The there's the civil libertarians...

Just because you're comforatble with it doen't mean everybody is. A lot of women (and to a lesser extent men) will feel violated. I mean, look at the news today with that model Tara (what's her name?) suing the AFL footballer Fevola for a photo he took of her in the shower. (although she's probably making a fuss to revive a flagging career)

Essentially we still live in a relatively conservative society and current laws and societal proprieties have ingrained that conservatism into us. We can't just take our clothes off and start walking down the street, we'll be arrested (unless it's for a photo shoot at the Opera House).

I should be so lucky! I'll start charging for autographs.

A bigger concern is where all this technology is heading. You don't really want to end up living in an Orwellian 1984-esque world do you?

Frankly I have been subjected to far worse. Whilst I don't like it, there are far more pressing issues to deal with.

I don't remember reading anything about storage of images, however, I am more than happy to be corrected on that. It serves little or no purpose

With the part of the coverage where the surface to air missile that hits the aircraft edited out with the headline "What Happens if You Don't Get Scanned".

Be self-drive, no doubt!