Air travelers accepting full-body scanners

PHOENIX -- Despite some initial backlash including complaints of "virtual strip searches," the Transportation Security Authority says full body scanners at airports are gaining acceptance.

TSA spokeswoman Suzanne Trevino says, "Nationwide, anywhere between 95 and 99 percent of passengers are opting to use the technology," and at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, "Only a handful of the thousands and thousands and thousands of passengers that have used it since we've had it in place during the last month have opted out."

Travelers currently can choose a full body scan or walk through a metal detector.

"Passengers can decide that they don't want to use the new technology and instead just go through a standard walk-through metal detector and have a pat-down," Trevino said.

Across the nation, 142 scanners are in use right now, including those at Sky Harbor's Terminal 4. By the end of this year, 450 will be in place at airports around the country.

The few people who opt out are concerned about privacy, Trevino said.

"Some passengers are concerned about privacy implications and what I can tell you is that we have several different things in place to make sure that passengers' privacy is protected."