Kiwis face 'virtual strip search' in Aussie airports

By KIM RUSCOE - The Dominion Post | Friday, 03 October 2008

Kiwis flying out of Australian airports in the coming weeks could be asked to undergo "virtual strip searches" as part of a security screening trial.

Designed to detect weapons and explosives, including those not picked up by metal detectors, the body scanning machines see underneath a person's clothes, providing a detailed image of their body.

Schiphol airport in Amsterdam was the first to introduce the body scanners, going live in May 2007 after a year-long trial at crew security checkpoints.

The Australian Transport Security Office said this week that it would start a five-week trial of the scanners and other security measures at Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide airports from the middle of this month.

Executive director Paul Retter said New Zealanders transiting through or departing from these airports could be affected.

Measures were in place to protect passengers' privacy and dignity. They included locating the examining officer away from the scanning lane so they could not see who was being scanned.

Faces were automatically blurred and images were not saved and could not be transferred.

Passengers on whom the scanners were used would still be required to take off their shoes and coat, and to remove all items from their pockets and all jewellery.

It was hoped second generation scanners would not require passengers to remove anything, thereby speeding up the security process, Mr Retter said.

Those apprehensive about having their body shapes revealed on the scanner screens could opt to go through the existing hand-luggage scanners and walk-through detectors.

A decision on which, if any, of the trial security measures would be adopted permanently was more than a year away.