Introduction and background

In response to the attempted attack on Northwest airlines flight 253 to Detroit on Christmas Day 2009, the Government conducted an immediate review of aviation security measures. The findings of this review were announced on 5 January 2010. The announcement outlined a package of additional measures to enhance aviation security. These measures included:

• an increase in the use of explosive trace detection
• plans for greater random searching of passengers
• the introduction of security scanners also know as body scanners or Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT)

Security scanners

On 1 February 2010 the deployment of security scanners at Heathrow and Manchester Airports, and the intention to roll-out scanners nationally during the following months was announced. An interim code of practice was published at the same time which ensured that the operation of security scanners would be mindful of privacy, health and safety, data protection and equality issues. The interim code of practice was subject to a public consultation, the outcome of which was announced on 21 November, alongside a final code of practice.

The code of practice and security scanner directions

The code of practice requires airports to undertake scanning sensitively, having regard to the rights of passengers. It states that passengers will not be selected to be scanned on the basis of ethnic origin, gender, or destination of travel.

There are further requirements that the airport operators must follow in the public annexes of the security scanner directions that protect the privacy of passengers. All the security scanner directions are available.

• Security scanners code of practice (PDF – 50 KB)
• Equality Impact Assessment on the use of security scanners at UK airports (PDF – 39 KB)

Health and safety

There are currently two types of security scanner commercially available using either millimetre wave or backscatter X-ray technology to produce grey images (see FAQs for more details).

Concerns about the health risks from the X-ray type of scanner have been assessed by many independent international bodies. Additionally the Department for Transport commissioned its own independent assessment of the Rapiscan secure 1000 security scanner (one type currently in use) from the UK Health Protection Agency. Tests have concluded that the dose received from being scanned is far below the allowed levels in the UK and does not constitute any unacceptable risks to health.

• Assessment of comparative ionising radiation doses from the use of rapiscan secure 1000 x-ray backscatter security scanner

Download the directions:

• Direction (No.3) to the Airport Operator of Heathrow Airport under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to security scanners 2011 (PDF – 72 KB)
• Direction (No.6) to the Airport Operator of Manchester Airport under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to security scanners 2011 (PDF – 73 KB)
• Direction (No.2) to the Airport Operator of Gatwick Airport under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to security scanners 2011 (PDF – 73 KB)
• Consolidation direction to the Airport Operator of Gatwick Airport under the Aviation Security Act 1982 Relating to security scanners 2011 (PDF – 69 KB)
• Direction (No.2) to the Airport Operator of Heathrow Airport under the Aviation Security Act 1982 Relating to security scanners 2011 (PDF – 72 KB)
• Consolidation direction (No.5) to the Airport Operator of Manchester Airport under the Aviation Security Act 1982 Relating to security scanners 2011 (PDF – 73 KB)
• Consolidation Direction (No.4) to the airport operator of Manchester airport under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to security scanners 2011 (PDF – 31 KB)
• Consolidation direction to airport operators, under the aviation security act 1982 relating to security scanners 2011 (PDF – 58 KB)
• Direction to the airport operator of Heathrow airport under the aviation security act 1982 relating to security scanners 2011 (PDF – 55 KB)
• Consolidation direction (No.3) to the airport operator of Manchester airport under the aviation security act 1982 relating to security scanners 2011 (PDF – 58 KB)
• Consolidation direction to airport operators, under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to Security Scanners 2010 (PDF – 46 KB)
• Consolidation direction (No.2) to the airport operator of Manchester airport under the Aviation Security Act 1982 (PDF – 45 KB)
• Consolidation direction to the airport operator of Manchester airport under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to Security Scanners 01 June 2010 (PDF – 30 KB)
• Direction to the airport operator of Manchester airport under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to Security Scanners 30 April 2010 (PDF – 29 KB)
• Variation No 2 to the Direction to Aerodrome Managers, under the Aviation Security act 1982 relating to Security Scanners 29 April 2010 (PDF – 31 KB)
• Variation to the direction to Aerodrome Managers, under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to Security Scanners 31 March 2010 (PDF – 30 KB)
• Direction to Aerodrome Managers, under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to Body Scanners 29 January 2010 (PDF – 31 KB)
• Security Scanners – Frequently Asked Questions (PDF – 41 KB)

Consolidation Direction (No.4) to the airport operator of Manchester airport under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to security scanners 2011 (DOC – 96 KB)

Consolidation direction to airport operators, under the aviation security act 1982 relating to security scanners 2011 (DOC – 65 KB)

Direction to the airport operator of Heathrow airport under the aviation security act 1982 relating to security scanners 2011 (DOC – 62 KB)

Consolidation direction (No.3) to the airport operator of Manchester airport under the aviation security act 1982 relating to security scanners 2011 (DOC – 65 KB)

Consolidation direction to airport operators, under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to Security Scanners 2010 (DOC – 63 KB)

Consolidation direction (No.2) to the airport operator of Manchester airport under the Aviation Security Act 1982 (DOC – 63 KB)

Consolidation direction to the airport operator of Manchester airport under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to Security Scanners 01 June 2010 (DOC – 62 KB)

Direction to the airport operator of Manchester airport under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to Security Scanners 30 April 2010 (DOC – 71 KB)

Variation No 2 to the Direction to Aerodrome Managers, under the Aviation Security act 1982 relating to Security Scanners 29 April 2010 (DOC – 60 KB)

Variation to the direction to Aerodrome Managers, under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to Security Scanners 31 March 2010 (DOC – 59 KB)

Direction to Aerodrome Managers, under the Aviation Security Act 1982 relating to Body Scanners 29 January 2010 (DOC – 78 KB)

Security Scanners – Frequently Asked Questions (DOC – 80 KB)

Order printed copies

These publications are only available online.