International Departure – Body Scanning

Full body scanning was introduced to Australia’s main international airports in December, 2012 as an additional layer of security.

As body scanners will detect stoma and ostomy pouches on a person, the Australian Government has developed guidelines to be used by screening officers when dealing with persons with a medical device or aid including an ostomy to ensure that the privacy of that person is appropriately maintained at all times. Details of the guidelines can be found here. We do recommend that, to avoid confusion or embarrassment at an Australian international airport screening point, persons travelling internationally should be aware of these guidelines.

Persons are randomly selected by screening officers for body scanning. Persons who refuse to participate in body scanning will not be allowed to pass through the screening point and will therefore not be allowed to board their flight.