We\u2019ve all been through airports as we travel and we all know what they\u2019re like today. Photos, fingerprints, full body scans and X-Rays. Some of us saw the change. When we first left to travel full-time time, the body scanners were just rolling out. But what if you knew that most of these biometric data-gathering devices were maybe not compulsory?<\/p>\n I haven\u2019t added affiliate links to this post, it\u2019s just some information I wanted to share, but some may appear, so I\u2019m adding the disclaimer anyway. This post may contain affiliate links.<\/em><\/p>\n It\u2019s quicker and easier when you travel internationally to just march through the scanners, complying at every step. I\u2019m guilty of this, I gave up after the pandemic lockdowns<\/a>. I\u2019ll tell you why, and try to point you in the direction of more information on this.<\/p>\n Maybe, if you stand your ground and know your rights, all you need to show is your face and your passport,<\/p>\n Until this morning, I wasn\u2019t aware that most of the scans may not be compulsory.<\/p>\n On our first flight after the pandemic, I was forced to go through a body scanner. It was extremely traumatic for me. I requested a pat-down instead and was denied by a horrible woman with a bad attitude.<\/p>\n A few of our followers on Facebook gave me abuse for being upset over this. That didn\u2019t help. People on social media lose all common decency too often. It\u2019s a toxic place to be.<\/p>\n I thought that was it, we all just have to comply with the scans and cameras from now on. Honestly, I was so traumatised by that experience that I was too scared to stand my ground again.<\/p>\n For years, we\u2019d requested pat-downs at airports, and it had never been an issue. I remember doing this successfully in Bangkok and London, I think it was Heathrow<\/a>.<\/p>\n I particularly didn\u2019t want my kids going through those scanning machines, and I knew that they were damaging to human health.<\/p>\n It seems that maybe, and I don\u2019t know for sure, that this woman\u2019s actions weren\u2019t authorised.<\/p>\n From that point on, I gave up. Where possible, we still pick the line without the body scanner, which is still an option at times.<\/p>\n If you watch the video below, this family have travelled extensively requesting manual processing only. It\u2019s taken a little extra time, but they were able to do it.<\/p>\n You need to state that you do not comply or that you opt out, and, apparently, this is fine. It\u2019s something worth thinking about.<\/p>\n It also seems that you don\u2019t actually have to pay the \u201ctourist tax\u201d at times. I\u2019ve noticed this on arrival in Bali<\/a>, nobody has asked for receipts. It\u2019s worth looking into.<\/p>\n From now on, I\u2019ll be reading that small print, as this lady does, and using paper tickets and boarding passes. I don\u2019t want to be scanned like a box of cereal.<\/p>\n![\"airports](\"https:\/\/worldtravelfamily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/airports-scanners.jpeg\")
Biometric Scanners At Airports<\/span><\/h3>\n