MCO - Do they have TSA full body scanners ?

[Red_Rider]

Does the MCO airport in Orlando have TSA full body scanners to use at the airport security area ?

From Fox News website:
The Transportation Security Administration is looking to increase the number of full-body scanners at U.S. airports over the next few years
AND
Experts say full-body scanners are much more effective than the metal detectors commonly in use at airports, which have no capacity to detect explosives. And they say a lot of the privacy issues have been solved.


I would love for MCO to have them for my peace-of-mind.

Does anyone know when MCO will get a Full Body Scanner or are they at MCO already ?

The list of airports I found on the web with TSA full body scanners is:
ABQ(Albuquerque)
ATL (Atlanta)

BWI (Baltimore)

CLE (Cleveland)

DCA (Washington DC)

DEN (Denver)

DFW (Dallas-Ft. Worth)

DTW (Detroit)

IAH (Houston)

IND (Indianapolis)

JAX (Jacksonville)

JFK (New York City)

LAS (Las Vegas)

LAX (Los Angeles)

MIA (Miami)

PHX (Phoenix)

RDU (Lafayette)

ROC (Little Rock)

RIC (Richmond, Va)

SFO (San Francisco)

SLC (Salt Lake City)

TPA (Tampa)
TUL (Tulsa)

Boston (BOS) also has them as well in Terminal A (Delta/Continental)

 

[SDSorority]

I don't care about someone seeing me like that- privacy isn't my thing. BUT, what I AM worried about is the radiation it gives off. I know I know they 'say' that it doesn't emit harmful enough radiation for it to do anything to you.... but come on- it's hard for me to believe that something that can SEE THROUGH YOUR CLOTHING doesn't affect you.

Has anyone opted for the pat-down?

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I don't care about someone seeing me like that- privacy isn't my thing. BUT, what I AM worried about is the radiation it gives off. I know I know they 'say' that it doesn't emit harmful enough radiation for it to do anything to you.... but come on- it's hard for me to believe that something that can SEE THROUGH YOUR CLOTHING doesn't affect you.

Has anyone opted for the pat-down?

If you're worried about radiation, don't fly, you're subjected to more radiation every second in the air then the entire scanning process. Also not all machines even use radiation, some use high frequency waves to penetrate the clothing.

 

[goofy4tink]

Have to ask a question here....those of you that are concerned with their children and scanners showing their 'naughty bits'. Aren't you more concerned with some stranger patting down your child??? I know I would be. We flew about 2 months after 9/11. When we left Sanford, we were all subjected to patdowns. My poor dd, then 8, was horrified. Now, she has since had to go through that again...we had to return to FtL after being diverted to Philly last year. When we arrived at FtL the next morning, to get our second flight home, those of us that had to return to FtL the night before had to go through the full body pat down since we had flown within the 24 hr period. She just laughed about it then.
But if I have a choice, then someone is going to see my 'naughty bits'...more power to 'em.

 

[MagicMomentsMom]

I'm a little nervous about these--but for completely different reasons, DD has a feeding tube surgically implanted in her stomach and I'm worried about a uneducated TSA idiot (like the one who made the kid take off his leg braces) going off the deep end and think that she is a security issue, because they have no idea of what they are seeing on the scan.... She has severe sensory processing disorder and I honestly don't know if she would stand still long enough for the scan to happen, so I guess we'll be doing the pat down. I just wonder how long the security lines will be at MCO and how long it will take to get thru once these are installed.......

 

[travelin' tigger]

Nothing, absolutely nothing, is going to be 100% effective. At least nothing I've heard of yet. El Al does a great job...we could take a lesson, but our sensitive sensibilities would be offended...wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. So, we make do with what we have available. None of it is perfect.
I think we need to do more 'observing', stick more dogs in the terminals, allow a lot less carryon stuff on board and reduce the checked bag fees so people will go back to checking luggage. Then, put some security in the screening areas so that baggage screeners won't be so apt to get sticky fingers. Of course, we as passengers need to understand that nothing should get checked if you can't afford to lose it. If you need to bring something with you and they won't allow it through as carryon, then they need to give you a claim receipt for it and you can claim it when you land.

Now that we have blonde, American women coming along with terrorist ties, no one should be exempt from as complete a screening as possible. And those who have posted about body cavities...yep, absolutely right. There are people out there, who look just like you and me, that will have no problem having explosives surgically placed in their bodies so as to hurt as many Americans as possible. They have no problem blowing themselves up in the process. So...no, nothing we have in place yet, is going to be 100% effective.
No amount of argument here is going to achieve anything.

Diane, I totally agree with you on this.

 

[wdhinn89]

Personally, I don't have any problems with the scanners except that my son wears an insulin pump. I assume he is going to have to be patted down then. He is not going to like that.

He used to just go through the regular metal detecter without it setting anything off. They told us if it did set off an alarm, they would have to swab the pump.

Does anyone here have experience with this situation?

 

[brianvdb]

I am not looking forward to the day that these scanners are commonplace.

So, if I want to fly, my options are to expose myself naked to a stranger or be groped by one? Are you serious? Where exactly DO you draw the line between security vs. privacy/dignity? The only other place you're subjected to that level of security screening is... well... prison.

With the exception of destroying the aircraft, there is no crime that someone could commit aboard an aircraft that causes me concern. The good guys outnumber the bad guys. It has been proven countless times over the past 9years that people are willing to get involved (and risk their lives) if someone threatens the safety of the flight.

I think that we should be focusing our energy on detecting explosives. We have machines available that can detect explosives. We have DOGS available that can detect explosives. Put your time and money toward buying and improving THAT technology and stop trying to touch me or look at me naked.

 

[Lewisc]

El-Al has about 30 planes. They spend $100 million per year on security. Passengers are told to arrive at the check in counter 3 hours before their flight. Every passenger is interviewed. Racial profiling is used.

The El-Al security system wouldn't work in the US.

I do wonder if the money being spent on full body scanners could be better used implementing other different security measures.

http://www.businessinsider.com/sorry-the-el-al-israeli-security-model-will-never-work-here-2010-1

 

[jlewisinsyr]

So, if I want to fly, my options are to expose myself naked to a stranger or be groped by one? Are you serious? Where exactly DO you draw the line between security vs. privacy/dignity?

"Want" is the key word, flying is a choice, a priveledge, not a right, so you have to make the choice if the scanning is worth your time/effort/avoidance.

 

[brianvdb]

"Want" is the key word, flying is a choice, a priveledge, not a right, so you have to make the choice if the scanning is worth your time/effort/avoidance.

I don't consider using public facilities and common carrier transportation as a privilege.

While not enumerated as a specific right in the Constitution, travel by air is required to secure a number of other rights that are... freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom to petition one's government. Ever try to drive from Hawaii to Washington DC?

In any case, rights are not "granted"... if you'll recall, we have a government of limited powers. It's spelled out in the 9th Amendment, if you're interested... "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

At the risk of turning this into a politics debate, I'll leave it at that...

 

[all5ofus]

EL-AL, an Israel airline has never had a terrorist attack because their secuirty for flying is top notch. If you do not comply with the security check -then you can not fly on EL-AL.

If USA airlines had the same kind of secuirty which EL-AL does - we would not have any terrorists on our planes.

^ Not completely accurate...

---

Hijacking

In 1968, El Al experienced the first of many acts of terrorism that have been perpetrated against the airline. On 23 July, the only successful hijacking of an El Al aircraft took place, when a Boeing 707 carrying 10 crew and 38 passengers was taken over by three members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The aircraft, El Al Flight 426, which was en route from Rome to Tel Aviv, was diverted to Algiers by the hijackers. Negotiations with the hijackers lasted for 40 days. Both the hijackers and the passengers, including 21 Israeli hostages, were eventually freed.[12] On 26 December of the same year, two PFLP members attacked an El Al aircraft at Athens International Airport, killing an Israeli mechanic.[13] The Israeli Defense Forces responded to the incident on 29 December, with a night-time raid on Lebanon's Beirut Airport, destroying 14 planes on the ground belonging to Middle East Airlines, Trans Mediterranean Airways and Lebanese International Airways.[14] The military action was responsible for the demise of the LIA, which had most of its fleet destroyed.[citation needed]
On 18 February 1969, Palestinians attacked an El Al plane at Zurich Airport killing the copilot and injuring the pilot. One Palestinian attacker was killed and others were convicted but later released. Between September and December of that year, bomb and grenade attacks occurred at El Al offices in Athens, West Berlin, and Brussels.[15] This wave of violence culminated in the failed hijacking of an El Al 707 by Patrick Arguello and Leila Khaled on 6 September 1970, as part of the Dawson's Field hijackings.[16]

 

[Chloesmom]

Personally, I don't have any problems with the scanners except that my son wears an insulin pump. I assume he is going to have to be patted down then. He is not going to like that.

He used to just go through the regular metal detecter without it setting anything off. They told us if it did set off an alarm, they would have to swab the pump.

Does anyone here have experience with this situation?

My Dd also wears a pump.. it has set of the regular metal detectors before and she was subject to a full body pat down even though we have a card from our Dr/pump company stating she has is wearing a medical device ( in longer terms but you get the idea). I am usually pulled aside and patted down also ( guilty by association?). One time she was also asked to remove it so it could go thru the scanner and I refused.. her site was in her buttock and unhooking it would not be easy plus I was worried about sanitation issues.. they were not happy but let us thru after seeing she had a full carry on loaded with other diabetic supplies...
I honestly dont know how this new machine will affect something like a pump. The radiation should not affect it really but who knows.. I guess one more detail they will need to figure out.
As to the PP who asked if I would rather have my child subjected to apat down vs someone seeing thier bits... yes..She has been thru the pat downs several times before ... not a big deal...and its a woman who does it.. who will be viewing the images? Women for women? Probably not. Its just a comfort level for me.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Everyone always likes to bring up El Al as a 'shining example'.

Just keep in mind there are exactly 2 international airports in Israel and 10 airports total.

The state of New York has more airports and WAY more air traffic internationally and domestically than the entire country of Israel.

The entire population of Israel is less than 10 million vs. 300 million PLUS in the US and 441 million in North America.

When the volumes are lower and when you have 12 domestic venues to be concerned about.. it's a LOT easier to be hard on security.

If the same security guidelines policies and procedures used there, were used in North America... air traffic and our entire air tourism industry would grind to a halt.

It's a false example to point to El Al.

And Israeli airports -- don't use body scanners in any significant numbers yet either.. And certainly if they do.. it's recent and therefore not a factor in their security success.

All that said.. I think that flying has been so ruined ..

Remember when it used to be something you dressed up for? LOL.

 

[TillyMarigold]

I am not fond of the idea of my child going thru this. I know its a grainy image but in the posted pic I could see his " naughty bits". Security or not.. I dont want anyone to see my daughters naughter bits even if for a few seconds. The thought makes me ill... so we will opt for the pat down also.

You'd rather have someone run their hands over your daughter's body than see a grainy image of her from the neck down (notice that the pics above have no faces, and the people who are viewing the images can't see the actual passengers)?!

 

[Chloesmom]

You'd rather have someone run their hands over your daughter's body than see a grainy image of her from the neck down (notice that the pics above have no faces, and the people who are viewing the images can't see the actual passengers)?!

Yes... in a heartbeat. Its a woman who does the pat down on a woman.. its thru clothing... she has been thru it countless times before... I think its a pretty personal choice.. As I stated earlier I could care less if I go thru the scanner.. could care less if someone sees me.. but my little girl? I think not. I woudl not be comfortable with it nor would she. Not even doctors see you totally naked these days... if her endocrynologist doesn't need to see her naked why would I want a total stranger (and possible male) do it?
Oh and the images do have faces.. they have been blurred out for public release.. the images the person sees will have some sort of face. I am not worried about someone connecting the image to me.. or even " stealing" it and doing lord knows what with it.. I just don't feel comfortable with them seeing the image period.. for 2 seconds.. for 10 seconds..
I don't fault the scanners at all.. I think it's sad that we have come to this. I do recall when you used to get dressed up to fly and it was an event. Now its a cattle call in which we are going to have to decide in which manner we would rather be violated ( or just not fly which is a choice).
As I see it we will have 2 choices in order to fly.. pat down or scanner.. I choose pat down.. Others may choose scanner.. personal choice.. has to be right for you..potato potatoe right?

 

[monarchsfan16]

I'm glad I have no plans to fly after May, and sincerely hope that MCO has not installed them prior to the middle of May. Fortunately my home airport is (apparently) low on the priority list.

I have nothing to hide, but these machines disgust me. Numerous news articles (no I don't have them on me; I've seen them over the last few months) have said that the puffers are far more effective than the virtual strip searches in detecting explosives, and one very recently stated that the virtual strip search likely would NOT have caught the underwear bomber. Translation: there's no reason for us to be subjected to this crap. The makers of the virtual strip searches have just been lobbying harder in Congress than the puffer machine manufacturers.

I don't want terrorists on my plane. I've lost family to terrorists that made it on planes; I definitely understand the significance here. But that doesn't mean that I'm willing to subject myself to these machines. The TSA makes the news at least weekly with stories of criminal employees. Even if the intended purpose wouldn't reveal anything private, I HIGHLY doubt there aren't TSOs that won't use the devices how THEY see fit. And I have a very hard time believing that we're really being told the truth about the images these machines reveal.

 

[CPT Tripss]

I don't consider using public facilities and common carrier transportation as a privilege.

While not enumerated as a specific right in the Constitution, travel by air is required to secure a number of other rights that are... freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom to petition one's government. Ever try to drive from Hawaii to Washington DC?

In any case, rights are not "granted"... if you'll recall, we have a government of limited powers. It's spelled out in the 9th Amendment, if you're interested... "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

At the risk of turning this into a politics debate, I'll leave it at that...

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

You'd rather have someone run their hands over your daughter's body than see a grainy image of her from the neck down (notice that the pics above have no faces, and the people who are viewing the images can't see the actual passengers)?!

As a PP noted, the only other place Americans get treated this way is prison. There is no rational reason for our government to subject us to this kind of treatment just so we can simply fly on an airplane. So far, we can opt out of the nude-o-scope, and I hope that more and more people opt out.

ETA . . . actually, what I hope is that people "scout out" the lines at the TSA searches and go to the ones that have WTMD rather than the ones with the nude-o-scopes.

 

[SiAmCrAzY]

Let me add no crying babies through the whole flight too.

ok, now your just being greedy

 

[doober]

I have an idea for all those who are afraid to get on a plane without being strip-searched or felt up:

Why don't YOU drive or take a train or a bus and leave flying to the rest of us who are not afraid of air travel. Then we can just go back to regular old screening, we can take our liquids, don't have to take off our shoes, etc., etc., etc.