Muslim woman barred from boarding after she refuses body scan at airport

[Craneman 2]

One of the reasons it is safe is because of security as objectionable or inept it might be.

I fly internationally about once a month, I know to get to the airport ahead of schedule and be prepared for a wait at secuirty.

Do not like the inconvience but it is part of airtravel now and for the forseeable future, take a pill and get used to it.

He isn't wrong though - air travel is the safest mode of transport. Terrorism creates fear and big headlines (which is why they do it), but it's not a very likely outcome for the vast, VAST majority of air travelers.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

One of the reasons it is safe is because of security as objectionable or inept it might be.

I fly internationally about once a month, I know to get to the airport ahead of schedule and be prepared for a wait at secuirty.

Do not like the inconvience but it is part of airtravel now and for the forseeable future, take a pill and get used to it.

I am used to it.

I'm certainly not suggesting that we dispense with airline security. Surely its more pragmatic to be realistic as to how much safer these programmes really make you. IMO its a false sense of security - but again... I am aware that the odds of being the victim of a terrorist attack are pretty remote.

[sandinista! 1,816]

I agree with the woman. When the UK made the body scanner mandatory I was surprised. I'm not anti-security, but they could have created an alternative search system for people that object.

This woman, for instance, could have been taken to private room and searched by another female. Or they could have a private scanner operated by a female.

that option is offered in the united states. why not in the uk, i don't know. but i agree, it seems rather ridiculous that it isn't, and wasn't in this case.

The TSA stressed that the body scanners are “optional to all passengers.” Those who turn them down, “will receive equivalent screening that may include a physical pat-down, hand-wanding, and other technologies. Physical pat-downs are performed by Transportation Security Officers of the same sex as the passenger in a private screening area, if the passenger requests.”

http://www.freep.com/article/20100211/NEWS...law-Muslims-say

some indian actor at heathrow going through the full body scanner had his scanner image printed out and passed amongst female security personnel there. so much for the line about the images not being printable, deleted immediately, viewed by same sex security personnel only, etc. blah blah blah. http://www.prisonplanet.com/exposed-naked-...circulated.html

Edited March 4, 2010 by sandinista!

[Peikko 1,575]

I think its partially to streamline security and cut costs.

Do we know that she wasn't offered an alternate form of screening? My guess is she was offered it and refused that as well - for whatever personal reasons she had to object to what she considers I assume an invasion of her privacy. As has been pointed out, she didn't get to board the plane, but declined to fly. That is her right, as it is anyone's should they decide not to undergo whatever process the airline have in place prior to boarding.

[sandinista! 1,816]

my understanding was that they were mandatory in the uk, and other options were not allowed, or exceptions. does anyone know for sure?

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Well there are some documents on the department of transport website including a code of practice, I don't see them offering other options anywhere.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

She didn't get a pass though, she wasn't allowed on the plane. Her choice.

Lets keep it that way. Same rules for all people.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

You do not fly much, or you would not make this statement.

I fly enough and understand statistics quite well too.

As Gene said, a commuter train is much more of a risk than an airplane is....

And hell, there's the capability to take out a lot more people that way too...

[luckytxn 2,264]

Every babe should be put through the full body scanner. No telling what they could be hiding.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Every babe should be put through the full body scanner. No telling what they could be hiding.

Is that really the most witty comment you could come up with? Sad really.

Come on people, lets look past this red herring about commuter trains. This thread is about airport searches. They are constitutional no matter how many times conservatives say they don't. Don't like it? Then take the bus.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Constitutional perhaps. But I think they are more for show than a concerted effort to prevent terrorism.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Has anyone taken a commuter train into a major building. lol someone did a sketch once where they threatened to slam a train into the White House.

Edited March 4, 2010 by Sousuke

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Has anyone taken a commuter train into a major building. lol someone did a sketch once where they threatened to slam a train into the White House.

No, but I've seen a Ryder Truck blown up in front of a building.....

[Peikko 1,575]

It's correct, they have no choice if they are selected, they must go through the body scan.

I'm ambivalent on this subject. On the one hand, I really do not see how a full body scan is more personally invasive than being patted down, in fact personally, I would prefer the scanner to the physical search. On the other hand, I don't see how this is actually going to reduce the terrorist threat significantly than the measures that were already in place. There are other measures that could be taken, that are not intrusive that would be more effective. So, I tend to think that a lot of the measures that we have now are to increase feelings of public safety, than to actually achieve it.

[Kevin and 10]

Every babe should be put through the full body scanner. No telling what they could be hiding.

These are the types that are attracted to TSA jobs.

Going through ORD last month , there were three good looking women ahead of me in line and the one TSA "officer" that checked boarding passes told the other TSA "officers" standing around, to check the women out carefully they might be hiding something. Guaranteed that if they had the naked body scanner they would have be told to go through them.