Airport security

[Sarah041190]

Hi, myself and my family are due to fly from Leeds Bradford airport in a few weeks. I haven't flown in years so my knowledge of airports nowadays is very limited. My friend has told me that they now use the millimetre wave (non-ionising) body scanners for all passengers when going through security. Are these completely safe? I know the general rule is that it's the ionising ones that can be damaging but the thought of any kind of body scanner makes me anxious! Can anybody shed any light? Or has been through one and can explain what happens? Thanks in advance!

Is your friend also pro-Brexit and anti-vax?

I'm sure you're be fine. Think of all the frequent travellers, staff etc. They're not all suffering from damaged organs or limbs are they?

Stick your tin foil hat on and you'll be fine.

Thanks for your reassurance @Stichintime . @Snozzlemaid and @RogueFemale, I take it you guys have been through the machines with kids then? And you don't have any worries? I've read tou can opt out. Just makes me wonder why you can opt out if it's completely, 100% safe?

You can't opt out of screening per se. If you refuse the machine scan then you'll be intimately body searched by hand instead; you might have to remove some clothing. Your choice. I guess they offer the option because of the proliferation of people (in these Trumpian days) with anxiety about the scans, not because of the health/safety aspect.

What are you concerned about OP?

Millimetre wave scanners use low-energy, non-ionizing radiation that's thousands of times less powerful than a mobile phone. They don't use x-rays and don't increase a person's ionizing radiation dose.

The walk through scanners emit a small amount of radiation that's equivalent to about 1–3 minutes of flight time.

So if you use a mobile phone or fly for more than 3-minutes, you'll be exposed (still at a safe level)

I travel from Leeds/Bradford a good few times a year.. sometimes with Grandkids.
Everything fine...You just stand in it like before.. except your arms go by your side and not above your head.. nothing different other than that...The biological effects of the radiation from airport scanners are so low that they can't be measured in experiments.

Best of all they have new security xrays.. no need to put liquids in bags or empty water bottles etc.

Hmm, let’s have a think. Is it likely that airports would be allowed to install scanners that were proven to cause harm to the tens of thousands of adults and children who pass through them every day?