Terminal A at Boston’s Logan Airport features the new full body scanners at 
security and I took my second trip through about a half-an-hour ago. I don’t know if they make us any safer (and I wish the TSA would at least buy me a drink before examining my full anatomy) but the certainly make security slower and more cumbersome.
My belt and watch have made it through the old scanners on my body without a hitch ever since 9/11; now they must come off. I am allowed to carry my wallet in my hand for the new scan but if I do so it is subject to an automatic secondary search. Non-metal objects such as lip balm must now come out of my pocket along with my computer, liquids, shoes, etc. It only adds a couple of extra minutes to retrieve and rewardrobe that which formerly remained on my person but I can see this backing up security significantly at busy times.
If the terrorists’ aim is economic as well as physical damage, they must consider these new scanners a success. They are expensive to install and will bolux up air travel yet further.
However, we seem to like tangible equipment — we can see it and touch it. It’s likely designed or built in someone’s Congressional district. The Israelis have long shown that behavioral targeting is the most efficient and effective preventative measure yet we seem reticent to adopt it widely (though I did experience a bit of it when in NOLA recently).
But, once again, we are engaged in another act of expensive security theater — and we business travelers are the comic relief in the performance.
