by Alicia M Prater PhD

Created on: May 08, 2010

Airport security relied for years on metal detectors and baggage X-ray machines. In the last decade, airport security has been a focal point with advanced technologies being tested and introduced. One such technology is full body imaging in which a passenger is scanned, revealing the anatomical terrain under their clothing to highlight the presence of weapons or other stashed items, including those not caught by metal detection.

Full body scanners have been a topic of privacy concerns and abuse cases, but after a field test in 19 U.S. airports that began in 2007, 11 more were set to receive the imaging devices after March 2010, bringing the total number of scanners in use in the U.S. by the end of 2010 to almost 500. Additional scanners will be added through 2011 to bring the count to 1000 scanners.

For now, going through the scanning devices in the 23 currently active deployments in the U.S. is optional for air passengers. However, some airports, such as the one in Indianapolis, Indiana, are moving the scanners to primary positions, making it the default screening method for all air passengers who pass through that airport. The Department of Homeland Security also seems poised to make the screening mandatory once the devices are fully deployed.

The U.S. airports that have full body scanners currently in use are:

Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ, New Mexico)
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL, Georgia)
Baltimore/Washington International (BWI, Maryland)
Denver International (DEN, Colorado)
Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW, Texas)
Detroit Metro (DTW, Michigan)
Indianapolis International (IND, Indiana)
Jacksonville International (JAX, Florida)
Los Angeles International (LAX, California)
McCarran International-Las Vegas (LAS, Nevada)
Miami International (MIA, Florida)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX, Arizona)
Raleigh-Durham International (RDU, North Carolina)
Richmond International (RIC, Virginia)
Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA, Washington, DC)
San Francisco International (SFO, California)
Salt Lake City International (SLC, Utah)
Tampa International (TPA, Florida)
Tulsa International (TUL, Oklahoma)
Boston Logan International (BOS, Massachusetts)
Charlotte Douglas International (CLT, North Carolina)
Chicago O’Hare International (ORD, Illinois)
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG, Ohio)
Kansas City International (MCI, Missouri)

U.S. airports that will have them by the end of 2010 if they do not already:

Fort-Lauderdale-Hollywood International

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