BAA says it will introduce full body scanners at London Heathrow, following Gordon Brown’s go-ahead over the weekend.
Only last week BAA had said that “the introduction of full body scanners would require a change in European legislation” (see online news December 31, 2009), but the airport operator will now act immediately to implement the scanners at Heathrow.
“Now that the Government has given the go-ahead, we will introduce full body scanners as soon as practical. It is our view that a combination of technology, intelligence and passenger profiling will help build a more robust defence against the unpredictable and changing nature of the terrorist threat to aviation.”
The above statement applies only to Heathrow, although speaking on BBC One’s Andrew Marr show on Sunday Gordon Brown said that travellers would see the “gradual” introduction of full body scanners, as well as checks on hand luggage for explosives.
The prime minister’s green light for the use of body scanners comes ahead of the results of a review of existing security measures, which was ordered following the attempted terrorist attack on a Delta Airlines flight between Amsterdam and Detroit on Christmas Day.
Visit baa.com, dft.gov.uk.