New Naia body scanners in place soon

With the arrival Tuesday of 14 new full-body scanners, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) is expected to beef up security while speeding up the screening process for passengers.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said the new scanners are  considered the most advanced by the European Civil Aviation Conference.

Costing P150 million, the scanners will allow airport authorities to do away with the frisking of passengers and augment the 26 walk-through metal detectors at the four Naia terminals. Manufactured and supplied by Smiths Detection, the scanners arrived from Malaysia and are expected to be in use starting this month.

Smiths Detection, through its local distributor Defense & Protection System Inc., was awarded the supply contract for the scanners in November 2014.

According to Smiths Detection-Asia Pacific regional vice president Nathan Manzi, a scanner bounces harmless millimeter-waves off the body and analyzes reflected data in real time.  It can distinguish between metallic and nonmetallic objects and detect ceramics, liquids, drugs and explosives.–Jeannette I. Andrade