Airport Puffer Devices Expensive And Don't Work Very Well, Being Phased Out

from the so-much-for-that-plan dept

Like many of you, I'm sure, I've had the "pleasure" of going through airport security in one of those newer "puffer" devices that shoot little puffs of air up and down your body. I was told that these were sophisticated new machines that are much better at finding traces of explosives on people. Except... it turns out... not so much. Apparently the machines are incredibly expensive, prone to breaking down when exposed to dirt and humidity (none of that around airports) and difficult to repair. So, the government is no longer going to roll out any more such machines. This reminds me that, just last year, we were wondering whatever happened to the predicted boom in new airport security technology, that everyone insisted was on the way following the attacks of September 11th. These machines were about the only visual example of any new technology... and they don't seem to work.

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