Aircraft security

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Roderick Smith
Posts: 1321
Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 8:44 pm

Aircraft security

Post by Roderick Smith »

March 22 2017 Electronic devices flight ban extends as United Kingdom joins United States .
The United Kingdom will join the United States in imposing restrictions on passengers bringing large electronic devices on inbound direct flights from some Middle Eastern and North African countries, in response to unspecified security concerns.
The US Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday passengers travelling from ten specified airports could not bring devices larger than a mobile phone, such as tablets, portable DVD players, laptops and cameras, into the main cabin. Instead, they must be in checked baggage.
US to ban electronic devices on many flights.
The White House confirms new restrictions on electronic devices carried by travellers to the US from 10 airports in response to unspecified terror threats.
The new US restrictions were prompted by reports that militant groups want to smuggle explosive devices in electronic gadgets, officials told reporters on a conference call on Monday. They did not provide further details on the threat.
The airports are in Cairo; Istanbul; Kuwait City; Doha, Qatar; Casablanca, Morocco; Amman, Jordan; Riyadh and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates.
Later on Tuesday, the UK government announced it was implementing similar restrictions.
"The Prime Minister has chaired a number of meetings on aviation security over the last few weeks, including this morning, where it was agreed that new aviation security measures on all inbound direct flights to the UK from the following countries will be introduced: Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia," a government spokesman said.
USA officials said the decision had nothing to do with President Donald Trump's efforts to impose a travel ban on six majority-Muslim nations. DHS spokeswoman Gillian Christensen said the government "did not target specific nations. We relied upon evaluated intelligence to determine which airports were affected."
On March 6, Mr Trump signed a revised executive order barring citizens from Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen from travelling to the United States for 90 days. Two federal judges have halted parts of the ban, saying it discriminates against Muslims. Mr Trump has vowed to appeal up to the Supreme Court if necessary.
Emirates is one of nine airlines which will be affected by the new US rule. Photo: AP .
The airports affected by the US electronics rules are served by nine airlines that fly directly from those cities to the United States about 50 flights a day, senior government officials said.
The carriers - Royal Jordanian Airlines, Egypt Air, Turkish Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Kuwait Airways , Royal Air Maroc, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways - have until Friday to comply with the new policy, which took effect early on Tuesday and will be in place indefinitely.
Direct flights from Dubai International to the US are among ten airports subjected to the US change. Photo: Bloomberg .
Several of the carriers, including Turkish Airlines, Etihad and Qatar, said early on Tuesday that they were quickly moving to comply. Royal Jordanian and Saudi Airlines said on Monday that they were immediately putting the directive into place.
An Emirates spokeswoman said the new security directive would last until October 14. However, Ms Christensen termed that date "a placeholder for review" of the rule.
The policy does not affect any American carriers because none fly directly to the United States from the airports, officials said.
Five British carriers are affected by the UK ban: British Airways, EasyJet, Jet2.com, Monarch, Thomas Cook and Thomson. Additional foreign carriers affected by the new UK rules include Pegasus Airways, Atlas-Global Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Tunis Air and Saudia.
"Under the new arrangements, passengers boarding flights to the UK from the countries affected will not be allowed to take any phones, laptops or tablets larger than a normal sized mobile or smart phone (larger than Length: 16.0cm, Width: 9.3cm, Depth: 1.5cm) into the cabin of the plane," the UK government spokesman said. "Any such devices will need to be placed into hold luggage and checked-in before going through central security."
"The additional security measures may cause some disruption for passengers and flights, and we understand the frustration that will cause, but our top priority will always be to maintain the safety of British nationals."
USA officials did not explain why the restrictions only apply to travellers arriving in the United States and not for those same flights when they leave from there.
The rules do apply to USA citizens travelling on those flights, but not to crew members on those foreign carriers. Homeland Security will allow passengers to use larger approved medical devices.
Angela Gittens, director general of airport association ACI World, likened the move to years-long restrictions of liquids on planes, which she said also came suddenly, in response to a perceived threat, and caused some disruption.
Airlines will adjust to the electronics policy, she said. "The first few days of something like this are quite problematic, but just as with the liquids ban, it will start to sort itself out."
DHS said the procedures would "remain in place until the threat changes" and did not rule out expanding them to other airports.
The agency said in a statement it "seeks to balance risk with impacts to the travelling public and has determined that cellphones and smartphones will be allowed in accessible property at this time."
The government said it was "concerned about terrorists' ongoing interest in targeting commercial aviation, including transportation hubs over the past two years."
Reuters reported Monday that the move had been under consideration since the US government learned of a threat several weeks ago.
US officials have told Reuters the information gleaned from a US commando raid in January in Yemen that targeted al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula included bombmaking techniques.
AQAP, based in Yemen, has plotted to down US airliners and claimed responsibility for 2015 attack on the office of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris.
The group claimed responsibility for a December 25, 2009, failed attempt by a Nigerian Islamist to down an airliner over Detroit. The device, hidden in the underwear of the man, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, failed to detonate.
In 2010, security officials in Britain and Dubai intercepted parcel bombs sent from Yemen to the United States.
The Homeland Security Department stepped up security of US-bound flights in July 2014, requiring tougher screening of mobile phones and other electronic devices and requiring them to be powered up before passengers could board flights to the United States.
http://www.theage.com.au/world/us-restr ... v3eta.html
Tim Williams
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Location: Adelaide

Re: Aircraft security

Post by Tim Williams »

I believe this ban has as much to do with reducing the competitiveness of the 3 large and highly profitable Middle East airlines (emirates, Qatar & Ethiad) as the security reasons given, which to me seem a little weak. i.e. if your explosive device (hidden in your laptop) is in the baggage hold rather than the cabin - what difference is there when it explodes; in fact problems, such as fires are obviously easier to detect in the cabin, than the baggage hold.
U.S. airlines have been unable to compete effectively with the 3 large Middle Airlines (their planes are generally older, the on board product is inferior and the cabin service is often lacking) so they have pressuring Congress and authorities to do something about these 3 airlines – they have said on a number of occasions that these 3 airlines receive substantial local subsidies – aviation experts disagree with that claim and basically have said that the U.S. really need to get their acts together! Well they have got what they wanted (under the guise of security) – Emirates passenger numbers are already down 35% to the U.S. this year due to Trump’s immigration measures (perceived and actual.)
I would not want computers and cameras in the checked luggage, knowing the way luggage is treated!!
1of55
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Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 10:08 pm

Re: Aircraft security

Post by 1of55 »

Quite agree Tim Williams. I also like mine handy for photos at the airport. Maybe taking photos is at the airport with a camera larger than a mobile phone is banned too.
Roderick Smith
Posts: 1321
Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 8:44 pm

Re: Aircraft security - laptop ban

Post by Roderick Smith »

May 16 2017 Turnbull government considering banning laptops on some international flights .
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says Australia is considering a United States-style ban on airline passengers bringing laptop and tablet computers into the cabins of some international flights.
In March, the US – quickly followed by Britain – introduced the prohibition on electronic devices on flights from a number of countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
More videos US laptop restrictions may extend to Europe.
Travellers flying from Europe to the US are bracing for the impact of proposed security rules to restrict personal electronics onboard aircraft cabins.
US authorities are now considering extending the ban to flights from Europe, triggering concerns of chaos on transatlantic routes.
Experts have warned the new security protocol could mean longer security lines, heightened delays, boarding gate confusion, and yet more hassles for passengers.
Asked on Tuesday if the government was considering a similar restriction on large electronic devices brought from some international hubs, Mr Turnbull said the government was "looking at it very closely", and taking advice on the matter.
"We're working very closely with our partners and, in due course, any announcements will be made formally through the Transport Minister," he said.
At the time of the initial US announcement, the government said it had no plans for such a change.
On Tuesday, Transport Minister Darren Chester said "the government continuously monitors shifts in the threat environment domestically and overseas to ensure we have the best security arrangements in place to meet the challenges we face".
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says Australia is considering a United States-style ban on laptops on some international flights Photo: Daniel Munoz
'Enormous interruptions'
Aviation safety consultant Geoffrey Askew – a former Qantas executive responsible for security and safety – said such a ban would have a huge impact on passengers and airlines, particularly when first put in place and especially if applied to flights from Australia to the US.
"You would have to introduce some measure at screening points where laptops could be taken from passengers and taken to the hold," he said. "The logistic of doing it would be significant and the interruption ... would be enormous."
John Coyne, a national security analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said the United States' original laptop ban came from intelligence relating to a specific threat, and believed Australia would be unlikely to follow suit without a similarly defined threat.
"If there's no specific threat or risk, then they've got to carefully examine it - is the measure just going to cost hundreds of millions of dollars and not have any fundamental additional impact on security?" Dr Coyne said.
"If the government has specific intelligence indicating a specific threat or risk in relation to laptops [on flights] to and from Australia, then as sure as I'm sitting here they would ban them from being carried."
Dr Coyne said banning laptops from cabins raised the issue of whether security screening devices were good enough to detect explosive devices. Australia and its allies needed to continue to review screening processes as terrorist groups continued to innovate to find news ways to bring explosives on board, he said.
A Qantas spokesman said Australia's largest airline was closely monitoring the issue and was in regular contact with the government and regulators.
The American laptop ban applies to flights originating from 10 airports in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar and Morocco.
Britain's measure applies to inbound flights from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.
Mr Turnbull's remarks came as US media reported that President Donald Trump had disclosed classified details to Russian officials, allegedly concerning terrorist plots involving laptops.
Related Content
Australia is considering a ban laptops on some international flights.
The real difficulties behind a laptop ban in Australia
The new security protocol could mean longer security lines, heightened delays, boarding gate confusion, and yet more ...
Brace for chaos: US plans to expand airline laptop ban
http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politi ... w5rkr.html
Roderick Smith
Posts: 1321
Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 8:44 pm

Re: Aircraft security

Post by Roderick Smith »

Roderick.

16.5.17. Brace for chaos: US plans to expand airline laptop ban to trans-Atlantic flights.
The trans-Atlantic flight could soon become a gadget-free zone if US officials press forward with a security ban on laptop computers and other larger electronic devices on airline flights from Europe.
Carriers are bracing for operational chaos at European airports after the Department of Homeland Security said last week it might expand to Europe a ban imposed in March on US-bound flights from 10 Middle Eastern airports. The new security protocol could mean longer security lines, heightened delays, boarding gate confusion, and yet more hassles for fliers.
"I think it's going to be extremely chaotic," said Rich Roth, executive director of CTI Consulting, a security firm that focuses on aviation. He predicts that airlines, airports, and European officials will press the DHS to review its analysis of the trans-Atlantic threat, hoping for a more lenient strategy than the currently envisioned ban.
The new security protocol could mean longer security lines, heightened delays, boarding gate confusion, and yet more hassles for fliers. Photo: iStock
"I think they went a little bit overboard in their risk assessment," said Roth.
Corporations and their travel managers are up in arms about the proposed electronics ban, said Greg Raiff, chief executive of New Hampshire-based charter operator Private Jet Services.
"Picture a technology firm moving employees from Europe to the US and telling the developers in those firms they can't use laptops on airplanes," Raiff said. "I think you're looking at a substantial uproar from the business community over this."
"Business travellers would be far more willing to accept a far more rigorous screening at the airport."
While companies won't abandon trans-Atlantic trips, an electronics ban may dampen corporate travel when combined with other recent regulations that have made travelling more onerous, said Michael McCormick, executive director of the Global Business Travel Association. When faced with having to part with their computers-potentially putting sensitive corporate information at risk-some companies may tell employees to leave their computers at home.
"I think business travellers would be far more willing to accept a far more rigorous screening at the airport, rather than having to part with their tools when they travel," McCormick said.
The threat of laptop loss-be it theft, damage, or misplacement as checked luggage-is likely to make some companies consider whether some meetings can be conducted via Skype or other virtual methods, said Andrew Coggins, a management professor at Pace University's Lubin School of Business. "People don't want to let their laptops go," he said.
That may be bad news for airlines who count heavily on business travel for profitability.
This prospect, and the possibility of summer airport havoc, mobilised airlines last week to try to minimise the impact of any broader ban.It also prompted European Union officials to invite their US counterparts to Brussels this week for a meeting about the underlying security threat of laptop-borne explosives being used by the Trump administration and others to justify it. EU officials told US. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly on Friday that any terror threats affect both continents and require a coordinated response.
David Lapan, a spokesman for DHS, said in an email that "as no decision has been made, it is premature to discuss what additional restrictions might, or might not, be."
UK has imposed a similar ban, but on fewer airports. Canadian officials don't ban cabin electronics on flights to Canada. The nation's aviation regulator, Transport Canada, isn't considering any new aviation security measures, agency spokeswoman Marie-Anyk Cote said.
The current US. approach on the proposal-flights to America pose a threat but not the reverse-implies that the Trump administration considers US airport security superior to that of European or Middle Eastern nations. While security coordination between U and European officials could lead to a policy affecting all trans-Atlantic flights, another outcome might be a unilateral US electronics ban followed by the same EU decision affecting flights from America.
Either way, US carriers and airports are grappling with how to comply with an expanded ban. The questions are myriad:
•Would airlines require passengers to pack the devices in their checked luggage for storage in the cargo hold?
•Would it be easier to collect such devices at airport gates and then load them into a single container in the cargo? How would individual laptop and other devices be tracked and returned to their owners?
•How would connecting passengers relinquish their devices in Europe, say, if they are travelling from Accra to Atlanta via Amsterdam, and using a laptop on the first flight but not the second?
•Are US airports equipped to handle additional screening volumes given that they already screen incoming international baggage, plus connecting bags?
•Would travellers' bags be delayed upon arrival from Europe? If so, by how long?
And if answering those questions isn't enough to generate a migraine, an expanded ban raises a well-documented safety risk that probably will.
Flying mountains of electronic devices with lithium-ion batteries in airline cargo holds presents a risk of fire. FedEx and United Parcel Service forbid large commercial shipments of these batteries after in-flight combustion caused two jumbo jets to crash in 2010 and 2011.
Last year, the UN's International Civil Aviation Organization prohibited cargo shipments of lithium-ion batteries aboard passenger aircraft. Pilots unions and others had pressed for the ban, given the fires, and some have questioned whether even smaller consumer devices powered by the same batteries should also be allowed in checked luggage.
"A Hobson's choice, for sure."
Smelling smoke and fighting fires in the cabin is easier than finding one in the airplane cargo hold, and any US decision on expanding the laptop ban should consider the battery implications, said Robert Mann, an aviation consultant in New York and a former executive at four US airlines.
"Given passengers cannot be presumed to know how to properly pack spare and in-use batteries and devices, this proposed order has very serious safety implications for EVERY flight on which it is imposed," he wrote in an email.
In terms of reducing airport hassles, airlines have raised at least two ideas with US officials: Performing explosives trace detection on every item brought into the airline cabin and installing smaller CT scanners at some airport gates. This type of scan is used on checked luggage but not at passenger checkpoints.
"Airlines may wish they didn't suggest those measures" given the technology cost, processing times, and the likelihood of more missed connections and late departures, Mann said. "A Hobson's choice, for sure."
A device would need to contain at least eight ounces of explosive material to cause damage, and newer airline designs can withstand the impacts of as much as 1 pound, said Roth, a former US Secret Service agent. Larger laptops could accommodate that much material but most smaller tablets and smartphones cannot, he said.
"I just don't know where they're coming from in the risk assessment of something as small as an iPad," Roth said. "It ain't going to do much."
US. airlines are resigned that a broadened ban on electronics will occur at some point, one industry official told Bloomberg News on Friday. The person wasn't authorised to speak about the airlines' talks with government and asked not to be identified.
Yet if airports see operational chaos, passengers shriek on both continents, and airlines suffer huge costs-especially during the peak summer travel season - it's unclear whether such a ban would endure.
"My opinion is [DHS] may pull the trigger and make it happen but it won't last for more than a week," Roth said. The reason? "Blowback."
1.Roth declined to reveal whether CTI, based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, is working on behalf of any clients affected by the possible ban.
BLOOMBERG http://www.traveller.com.au/brace-for-c ... hts-gw5ngs
Roderick Smith
Posts: 1321
Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 8:44 pm

Re: Aircraft security - laptop ban

Post by Roderick Smith »

Roderick

16.5.17 The real difficulties behind banning laptops and tablet devices in plane cabins in Australia .
Australia is considering a ban laptops on some international flights. Photo: iStock .
In considering a ban on electronic devices on international flights, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull may care, if he hasn't done so already, to download a copy of his own government's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) brochure entitled Planning to fly? Is your luggage safe? A guide for aircraft passengers.
It reveals the potential difficulties Australian authorities, and authorities from other countries, confront in banning laptop and tablet devices from airline cabins on flights to and from Australia.
It also explains precisely why Australia and European Union nations had not followed the original lead of close allies the US and UK, despite the obviously clear security threat that led to the imposition of the ban in the first place.
See also: Brace for chaos: US plans to expand airline laptop ban to trans-Atlantic flights
CASA, in its information brochure, states that the "abundant energy" that makes rechargeable lithium batteries - which so efficiently power electronics that air-travellers typically pack for trips - also makes them "prone to generating heat and starting fires".
In a safety video by CASA, Travelling safely with lithium batteries, the dangers of a lithium-battery induced fire is demonstrated with dramatic effect.
For Australian travellers, limits apply to certain types of lithium batteries with some only permitted on flights as carry-on or not at all. Aside from the potential general inconvenience caused to Australian passengers, airlines and airports by such a ban, the existing regulations around lithium batteries pose a major dilemma for Australian authorities.
Commonsense would dictate that if batteries inside laptops, tablets and other devices can't be taken into aircraft cabins or stowed in the hold of aircraft then they may have to be banned entirely from flights. This would represent a major imposition to travellers, particularly business passengers, the source of most airlines' profits, potentially leading many to cancel or postpone trips.
In March, the US followed by the UK banned electronic devices bigger than a mobile phone on flights from a series of majority-Muslim countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Unlike Australia, neither nation has introduced regulations that ban lithium batteries from aircraft holds, a decision which has raised major concerns among aviation and electronics experts internationally.
Although fires caused by lithium batteries are exceedingly rare, fears remain that poor manufacturing standards of such items could lead to a small fire, igniting adjacent flammable items, even as innocent as nail polish in luggage, stored in aircraft holds.
Permitting lithium batteries in aircraft holds has made it easier for US authorities to introduce and maintain its ban, with consideration now being given to extending it to flights from Europe. This has triggered fears of chaos at airports on either side of the busy Atlantic route.
The US laptop ban applies to flights originating from 10 airports in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar and Morocco, while the UK's measure applies to inbound flights from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.
If Australia was to emulate the ban it would conceivably need to review, amend or withdraw legislation prohibiting lithium batteries in aircraft luggage and cargo holds. A fire in such a part of an aircraft could be just as catastrophic as any terrorist attack that governments worldwide are so desperate to thwart.
Anthony Dennis is National Editor of Traveller in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
See also: US flights electronic devices ban: Etihad, Qatar to provide business class passengers with laptops.
See also: Dropping your phone on a flight: How dangerous is it?
See also: What are the dangers of lithium ion batteries on a plane?
http://www.traveller.com.au/the-real-di ... lia-gw5x94
Roderick Smith
Posts: 1321
Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 8:44 pm

Re: Aircraft security

Post by Roderick Smith »

Roderick.

Melbourne Airport boss says it is proactive in identifying new terrorism threats [a classic damage-control statement, typical of modern management in any environment].
Herald Sun July 3, 2017.
THE boss of Melbourne Airport has defended the police response to a bomb threat on a Malaysia Airlines flight.
Airport chief executive Lyell Strambi said police did everything they could to evacuate the 337 passengers, while ensuring there were no explosives on board.
The former senior Qantas executive said the airport was one of the safest in the world to fly from and was proactive in suggesting new ways to meet the terrorist threat.
“It’s very hard when you’re in the middle of these events to say what were right or wrong decisions,” he said.
“What you have to remember with these things is it’s the unknown threat you’re trying to deal with at each of these times. I wouldn’t be overly critical of anybody.
“We were fortunate that the threat ultimately wasn’t real although it would have been terrifying for the people involved.”
MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH 128 RETURNS TO MELBOURNE AFTER INCIDENT
MALAYSIA AIRLINES PASSENGERS DESCRIBE THEIR TERROR AFTER BOMB SCARE
Police officers stand guard after Malaysia Airlines flight MH128 returned to Melbourne Airport. Picture: AFP/Mal Fairclough
Mr Strambi said the May 31 scare highlighted that Melbourne Airport’s security procedures were working.
“There was no device that got onto the aircraft that should not have gone onto that aircraft,” he said.
“I’d argue that the things we have in place are actually working very well to protect us.
“When we have any form of incident, we do a lot of soul searching in hand with the airlines and the governments to make sure there’s not any new vulnerabilities that we’ve learnt — either real or threatened — that need to be addressed.
“This is one of the reasons why air travel is so safe in so many different ways.”
Mr Strambi described the terrorist threat as “ever evolving and ever changing”. He said the airport worked closely with the Department of Transport and Safety to ensure it was up-to-date with the latest trends and requirements.
“I would argue that Melbourne Airport is probably one of the better partners in the world where we are actually very proactive working with the Government all the time, not just to meet the government’s standard, but suggesting new ways to better protect customers and travellers,” he said.
Manodh Marks, 25, has been charged with endangering the safety of an aircraft and making false threats. He will appear in court on August 24.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victor ... 0709cbb37c
Roderick Smith
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Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 8:44 pm

Laptop ban rescinded

Post by Roderick Smith »

Roderick.

July 21 2017 The laptop ban is over.
Passengers flying into USA from airports in 10 Muslim-majority countries affected by the ban may now take their laptops and other large electronic devices into the cabin with them, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed on Thursday.
More videos USA unveils new airline security measures.
USA Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly unveils enhanced security measures for foreign flights arriving in the US.
Security officials imposed the ban in March, warning then that the Islamic State group was developing bombs that could be hidden in portable electronic devices.
But the airlines and airports affected by the ban have all complied with the initial phase of the new Homeland Security standards, allowing the prohibition to be lifted, the department said.
The ban on portable devices created a headache for carriers flying into the United States from the affected airports. Many airline passengers expect to use laptops and tablets as a matter of course, for both entertainment and to get work done.
Analysts feared it would reduce the number of people visiting the United States from the 10 countries, which stretched from North Africa to the Mid-East and into Turkey.
The commercial aviation industry expressed alarm after security officials said in May that they were considering expanding the ban to all flights to the United States from Europe, a huge market for both leisure and business travellers.
Instead of carrying out that broader ban, Homeland Security secretary John Kelly announced last month there would be new security standards for carriers flying into the United States.
Security officials imposed the ban in March, warning then that the Islamic State group was developing bombs that could be hidden in portable electronic devices. Photo: PA
The first phase of those new rules required airports with carriers flying to US destinations to quickly demonstrate that they had the ability to screen passengers for trace amounts of explosives.
More than 280 airports - including the 10 targeted by the original laptop ban - complied with that rule, officials said on Thursday.
"The quick and decisive action taken by airlines, nations and stakeholders are a testament to our shared commitment to raising the bar on global aviation security," David Lapan, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, said.
The ban originally applied to airports in Amman, Jordan; Cairo; Istanbul; Jidda and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia; Kuwait City; Casablanca, Morocco; Doha, Qatar; and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
“The quick and decisive action taken by airlines, nations and stakeholders are a testament to our shared commitment to raising the bar on global aviation security.”
It affected specific airlines that used the airports in those countries as hubs, including Qatar Airways, which dominates the airport in Doha, and Emirates Airlines, which is based in Dubai.
Over the last few weeks, both the Transportation Security Administration and airlines have periodically announced that airports on the ban list met the new security rules, allowing passengers to carry on the electronic devices again. Customers of these airlines used social media to express relief as the news broke.
In addition to adding explosive-detection equipment, airlines must, by this fall, demonstrate that they have the ability to conduct tougher security checks, including interviewing passengers as part of the screening, The Times has previously reported.
Officials at Homeland Security have said they wanted to improve the overall level of aviation security around the globe.
"We are raising aviation security as opposed to just going after one single threat," Mr Kelly said recently at an event in Colorado.
Related Articles:
'Burst into flames': lithium battery fires on planes on the rise .
Wider laptops ban to cost passengers $US1 billion, airlines warn .
New York Times http://www.theage.com.au/business/aviat ... xflhu.html
Roderick Smith
Posts: 1321
Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 8:44 pm

Qantas Manila (Philippines) security

Post by Roderick Smith »

Roderick.
Attachments
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Roderick Smith
Posts: 1321
Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 8:44 pm

Re: Aircraft security

Post by Roderick Smith »

The whole nation is in blind panic, so of course the airport security industry steps up. It is an out of control monster.

Roderick.

July 30 2017 Sydney terrorism raids believed to relate to 'bomb plot involving aircraft' .
Australian Federal Police have conducted a number of terrorist raids across Sydney over a suspected bomb plot to bring down a plane...
<www.smh.com.au/nsw/three-terror-raids-c ... xlgip.html>

Melbourne Express: Monday, July 31, 2017 .
Added security at Melbourne Airport. This photo was taken July 30, 2017. Photo: Darrian Traynor
8.56 Flying to Sydney today? Expect big cues at Melbourne Airport, and much bigger ones at Sydney Airport after an alleged plot to bring down a flight was uncovered.
Passenger Sally Rugg tweeted that the check-in process would take at least an hour, with staff handing out water bottles to travellers.
Melbourne Airport is advising passengers to arrive at least two hours early to allow for enhanced security screening measures.
The Age, News, 31/07/2017 photo by Justin McManus. Increased Airport security and queues at Melbourne Airport in light of the Sydney terror plot. Photo: Justin McManus
7.52 Differing reports on the situation at Melbourne Airport as toughened security measures take effect. Some social media users saying business as usual, others reporting long lines. Are you at the airport? Email us your thoughts: liam.mannix@fairfaxmedia.com.au.
Here's today's biggest story - airport security has been jacked up across the country after police say they foiled a home-grown plot to bomb a passenger plane.
In a significant departure from the low-tech lone actor attacks that Islamic State has inspired in Australia, the group of two middle-aged men and their two adult sons were allegedly working on an "elaborate" plot to build an improvised explosive device that could take down a plane, report Rachel Olding and David Wroe for the Sydney Morning Herald. We'll have more on this story as it develops this morning.
Security at all airports has been stepped up in light of the counter-terrorism operation. Photo: Michele Mossop .
6.44 Range of different experiences at Melbourne Airport this morning after security-screening measures were ramped up. Are you there? Let us know how things are going.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/melbo ... xlx85.html

Sydney counter-terrorism raids: ‘Jihadis’ plotted meat mincer bomb attack to blow up flight’.
Sydney 'Daily Telegraph', Mon.31.7.17.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/sydney ... e8f957f517

Melbourne Airport security: passengers urged to arrive early.
News Corp Australia Network Mon.31.7.17.
TRAVELLERS facing delays at Melbourne Airport in the wake of the alleged Sydney bomb plot are questioning why enhanced security measures were not introduced earlier.
Heightened screening processes are being enforced across all Australian airports, resulting in longer queues as security officials thoroughly check passengers’ baggage and conduct body scans.
Depsite more stringent checks at Tullamarine this morning, the wait in Melbourne is nothing like Sydney Airport this morning, with scenes of long queues inside and outside domestic terminals at the nation’s busiest airport.
Huge queues at Sydney Airport’s T2 domestic terminal this morning. Picture: AAP.
Passengers put their feet up for a rest during check-in for Virgin flights at Sydney Airport. Picture: AAP.
Grant and Peggy Middleton, who departed Melbourne for the Sunshine Coast this morning, said they were concerned such safety measures were not standard.
“Why is it longer now? The new security checks should have been done all the time,” Mr Middleton said.
“Makes me wonder what they are doing differently now. It should always have been done properly ... it shouldn’t be different.”
Extra security at Melbourne Airport this morning. Picture: Nicole Garmston.
Some entrance doors at the Qantas domestic terminal in Melbourne have been closed off. Picture: Nicole Garmston Mum Christine Caldwell said her bag was opened and checked three times before departing Hobart for Melbourne this morning.
“It’s quite a long line (ahead of the departure terminals) but I’d rather they check,” she said.
The Herald Sun trialled the new security crackdown, which is causing some delays throughout the airport including at check-in and departure.
Carry-on luggage which was x-ray scanned before the departure gates was seen being physically inspected by security officials before being passed through the scanners again.
Asked if the rescanned luggage contained prohibited items, a security official said it was a standard check.
The Herald Sun also overheard another security inspector being instructed to physically inspect bags at every free moment.
Airport access points have also been limited as part of the security crackdown.
Several Qantas terminal entrances have been closed to the public, possibly enabling security to better monitor the stream of people entering the airport.
Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police officers are also conducting patrols of all terminals.
Aviation and counter-­terrorism experts warn more needs to be done to secure the nation’s airports — including photo ID on domestic flights.
People travelling via Tullamarine are among thousands hit with the security crackdown which includes enhanced screening processes.
Domestic travellers have been warned to arrive two hours before their flight; international three hours early.
Your bags are more likely to be swabbed during check-in. Picture: Nicole Garmston.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced extra sec­urity measures were put in place at Sydney airport last Thursday and extended to all major airports on Saturday night.
He warned travellers to arrive early because of “additional scrutiny” — more cabin and checked baggage inspections — including more bomb swab tests.
“They should limit the amount of carry-on and checked baggage so far as possible, as this will help to ensure that security screening is efficient,” Mr Turnbull said.
Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Darren Chester said some measures might be obvious to the travelling public, but others would be carried out behind the scenes.
Security at Melbourne this morning. Picture: Nicole Garmston.
Anti-terror security ­experts had praise for Australia’s intelligence agencies for allegedly foiling what they ­described as a “sophisticated” plot, but warned “gaps still exist”.
“You need more ID to get into your local club or library than to get on a domestic plane,” aviation security consultant Roger Henning said.
“It is not accurate for the Prime Minister to say that all the things that need to be done, have been done.”
Mr Henning, chief executive officer of Homeland Sec­urity Asia/Pacific, which consults to governments and corporations around the world about airport security, said potentially dangerous passengers could board under someone else’s name.
He also raised the issue of drones as another “huge threat to civil aviation”.
“There are several ways these plotters could have succeeded — one could have been to use a drone to take out a flight approaching or leaving an airport in Australia,” he said. “A terrorist with a toothpaste bomb can still bypass all security at every airport in Australia with because there are no scanners that detect plastic explosives. None.”
Dr John Coyne, who heads the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Border Security Program, said he was also a “supporter of minimum ID requirements for all flights”.
He said the weekend’s countermeasures to eliminate terror threats would give authorities the “chance to analyse potential vulnerabilities”.
“What we have seen in the last 24 hours is a ramping up of security,” Dr Coyne said. “They’re doing vehicle checks — extra swabs for explosive residue are being done.
“The bad guys who want to do this, they reasonably expected they were going to get their bomb, or their device on a plane.”
Passengers at Melbourne Airport were yesterday understanding of the delays.
Preston resident Simon Fisenden, returning from a gig in Sydney, said the increased security was obvious.
“Security was more stringent at Sydney airport. There was an extra level of security before we got to the terminal with extra bag checks,” he said.
“I don’t mind the longer waits, it’s keeping us safe.”
June Wild, visiting from Sydney, was waved with a wand twice.
“The security lines were longer. It was a threat to an aircraft, I’d rather they up security than ignore the threat,” Ms Wild said.
ARE YOU AFFECTED BY THE AIRPORT DELAYS? Email: Aneeka.Simonis@news.com.au.
PANAHI: HOW NECESSARY EVIL KEEPS US SAFE.
JIHADIS’ ‘MEAT MINCER BOMB PLOT’.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victor ... 64e743f72e

Australia has escaped large-scale, high-casualty terror attacks because of necessary evils. [paywalled].
Herald Sun July 31, 2017.
REMEMBER the weekend’s terror raids the next time you have to surrender a tube of sunscreen as you pass through airport security a second time, this time barefooted and beltless, and fearful you might miss your flight.
Be mindful of why you’re being subjected to intrusive searches the next time you miss the first bounce or the opening song because it took an extra 20 minutes to enter the MCG or Rod Laver Arena.
Be thankful for the increased security measures, delays and inconvenience that are necessary to keep us safe from wannabe jihadis plotting to inflict mayhem and destruction on Australian soil.
The only reason Australia has escaped a high casualty terror event is due to a combination of luck, distance and the work of our counter-terrorism forces.
Police swooped on multiple properties as part of a counter-terrorism raid in Sydney on Saturday. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Drape Before Saturday’s raids, there were a dozen “major terrorist plots” that police had successfully stopped in the past three years alone, according to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. The latest plot involved bringing down a domestic flight with an explosive device and represents a worrying escalation from the relatively unsophisticated “lone wolf” attacks and plots we’ve seen in recent years.
A large-scale terror attack is a terrifying prospect but the planning that such an act requires does give counter-terrorism authorities, including ASIO and federal and state police forces, an opportunity to uncover and disrupt the plot.
At the weekend, heavily armed officers, some in gas masks and ballistic armour, raided properties in the Sydney suburbs of Lakemba, Wiley Park, Punchbowl and Surry Hills. Four men were arrested and a “considerable amount of material” was collected by police.
Airports are on high alert with the Prime Minister confirming that all major domestic and international terminals around the country will increase security measures to match the additional measures put in place at Sydney airport last week.
Police foil plot to 'bring down plane': PM.
“This ensures national consistency of our aviation security arrangements,” Mr Turnbull said.
“Some of the measures will be obvious to the public, some will not be. Travellers should be prepared for additional scrutiny at screening points, and while it is important that Australians are aware of the increased threat, be assured we have the finest security and intelligence services in the world and they are working, as is my government, and all our governments around Australia, night and day, to keep Australians safe.”
The additional measures will mean long waits for travellers who have been warned to allow an extra two hours to pass security and to assist authorities by limiting the amount of carry-on and checked baggage.
Australia’s terror alert level remains at “probable”, with Mr Turnbull praising the “outstanding work” of counter-terrorism teams.
“The tight co-operation and collaboration between our intelligence and security agencies is the key to keeping Australians safe from terrorism,” he said.
“The No. 1 priority of my government, and my commitment to the Australian people, is to keep them safe. Every day, every hour, we are focused on ensuring that our defences against terrorism are stronger than ever, that our co-operation is tighter than ever, that our co-ordination is swifter than ever before.”
Police stand guard outside a Surry Hills house after a major joint counter-terrorism raid. Picture: William West Meanwhile, fringe-dwelling-tinfoil-hat-wearing members of the loony Left opine that the raids were part of some vast conspiracy to sell newspapers and prop up the Turnbull Government.
Normally, that type of lunacy is best ignored but the number of university-educated, supposedly sane folks on social media who rail against the men and women who keep this country safe is worthy of condemnation.
When there were similar raids in 2014, elements of the Muslim community responded with outrage, not at the extremists in their midst, but against counter-terrorism forces who they claimed were unfairly focusing on their community.
Back then, the protesters at Lakemba chanted “we reject the terror laws, they only serve American wars” and held placards proclaiming “terror raids can’t break the spirit of Muslims” and “stop terrorising Muslims”. That sort of wilful blindness only creates division and alienates the community from the mainstream.
CALL FOR MUSLIM LEADERS TO SPEAK OUT
Police check evidence from the wideranging raids that foiled an alleged plot to bring down a domestic flight with a bomb.
Despite the real threat of Islamist extremism, we have parliamentarians who want to expose the country to what amounts to open-border migration policies. The Greens continue to favour policies that would degrade Australia’s national security laws.
Labor may talk the talk but the fact remains that the last time they came to power, they dismantled the country’s border-protection policies, leading to 50,000 asylum seekers arriving by boat and more than 1200 tragically dying at sea.
We cannot afford to be complacent when it comes to national security or precious about our personal freedoms, some of which may have to be sacrificed to counter the terrorism threat.
Intrusive measures, from metadata retention to handbag searches, are a necessary evil to ensure community safety.
Americans had to sacrifice their sacred personal liberties under the Patriot Act after the 9/11 attacks that killed close to 3000 people and injured many more. Australia can’t wait for a large-scale attack before undertaking every sensible measure possible to keep us safe from the terrorism scourge.
PM: ‘THE THREAT OF TERRORISM IS VERY REAL’.
COPS WANT TO HOLD TERROR SUSPECTS LONGER.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinio ... b8132d3d10
Roderick Smith
Posts: 1321
Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 8:44 pm

Re: Aircraft security

Post by Roderick Smith »

There are many articles about 'foiling' the 'plot'. Here is one potential outcome, but do note, only 'considering'. This has had a surprising amount of support from online posters.

Roderick

Turnbull Government considers introducing mandatory ID checks for domestic flights.
Herald Sun July 31, 2017.
TRAVELLERS could be forced to show photo identification before boarding domestic flights under a major security overhaul being actively ­considered by the federal ­government.
The Herald Sun can reveal the tough new rules, which would likely cause long delays at airports across the country, have been the subject of serious discussion among senior government figures in recent months.
It is understood mandatory ID checks would not be enforced imminently but the plan is more likely to get the green light once the government’s new Home Affairs office — which will bring together ­security and law enforcement agencies — is operational.
Travellers ma be forced to show photo identification before boarding domestic flights under a major security overhaul being actively ­considered. Picture: AAP/Dean Lewins
Justice Minister Michael Keenan said the government had an open mind.
“If there was a requirement to do that to keep the Australian people safe, then obviously we would do that,” Mr Keenan said.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten backed ID checks, adding extra resources were needed to beef up airport security so passengers weren’t “unduly inconvenienced”.
“It seems to me at first blush to be a bit sensible that you know who is actually getting on the plane,” Mr Shorten said.
A government source said on Monday night compulsory identification checks “sound good in theory” but could not be easily implemented.
Justice Minister Michael Keenan says the government has an open mind on security measures. Picture: AAP/Dave Hunt
Opposition leader Bill Shorten Bill Shorten says extra resources are needed to beef up airport security. Picture: AAP/Sam Mooy
The major stumbling block is not all travellers — particularly young people — have a driver’s licence or a passport, meaning the government would have to consider whether to mandate identification that everyone carried.
Equipment to scan and verify people’s identification would have to be rolled out to all airports to make sure they were using official documents that had not been forged.
Government figures have also debated how the extra layer of security could be implemented without causing chaotic delays at departure gates.
But it is understood Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the security agencies ­remain open to the idea.
Mr Turnbull on Monday said the government had to be “constantly upgrading and improving our security services”.
“That’s why I always say we don’t set and forget. We are never complacent,” he said.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull with AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin. Picture: Sam Mooy (AAP)
Mr Turnbull said more thorough bag checks at airports, put in place after the weekend’s counter-terror operation in Sydney, would ­remain in place as security agencies reviewed the threat level.
Mr Shorten said he was open to extra “sensible measures to help make us safer”.
“In some countries, when you travel you have to have photographic ID when you present to board a plane; in Australia you don’t,” he said.
“I mean if that’s one of the measures they’re thinking about, I’m interested to hear the case for it.”
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/turnbu ... 7932dd4227
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Roderick Smith
Posts: 1321
Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 8:44 pm

Re: Aircraft security

Post by Roderick Smith »

It's happening. I shouldn't need a car licence in order to fly as a passenger on an aeroplane.

Roderick.

Flight crackdown on security: the new rules at airports coming after terror scare.
news.com.au August 5, 2017.
NEW rules for travellers at Australian airports are coming in after a flight crackdown was ordered following the Sydney airport terrorism plot.
The dramatic new security clampdown will tighten restrictions for taking liquids on board, photo IDS and possibly introduce biometric ID checks and full body scans.
The stringent new measures may also prohibit anyone without a current boarding pass from being let through domestic security, T he Weekend Australianreported.
The new rules will be in line with US domestic terminal practice and will reverse the relaxation of rules regarding liquid, aerosol and gel restrictions.
The so-called liquid and gel rules or “LAGS” over 20ml being placed in plastic bags were introduced after the 2006 UK plot to detonate liquid explosives on flights.
Metal detectors at domestic terminals throughout Australia cannot recognise liquids held on a person, which could be picked up on a full-body scanner.
Currently at US airports no-one can pass through security to a domestic terminal gate without a boarding pass.
A woman undergoes a full body scan at Melbourne International Airport, a security measure that may be introduced for domestic flights. .
The Etihad check-in at Sydney airport, where a terrorist bomb plot was foiled a week ago. Picture: Justin Lloyd Long queues at Adelaide Airport following the foiled Sydney bomb plot could become a permanent feature as security is stepped up. Picture: Keryn Stevens.
Mandatory security checks of passengers could be tightened and the Federal Government is believed to be considering biometric checks, by iris or fingerprint.
The proposal to again tighten domestic Australian airport security is a direct response to the alleged plan to blow up an Etihad Airlines flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi.
Police say the plot was foiled only at the last minute, at check-in. The alleged plot failed when hand luggage, in which a metal meat grinder containing a military grade explosive was concealed, was deemed too heavy for boarding.
Authorities described the plan as “one of the most sophisticated plots” attempted in Australia which came close to a “catastrophic event”.
The Weekend Australian’s exclusive report says an Australia-wide rollout of new flight security rules has been discussed at senior levels within the Federal Government.
This follows an emergency National Security Committee meeting following the detainment of four men a week ago for questioning.
Full body scans, as practised in the US and the UK (above) could become mandatory at all Australian airports as security is ramped up.
Police have since charged two men with acting in preparation for or planning a terrorist act.
The proposed security measures are being discussed by Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton, Justice Minister Michael Keenan and Transport Minister Darren Chester.
They are likely to go before the Federal Cabinet within weeks, although the government expects major airlines to resist the moves which would add costs.
These would ultimately be passed on to passengers, increasing ticket prices.
Security officers check luggage at Sydney airport following the terror raids last weekend. Picture: Justin Lloyd.
Police at one of the addresses raided over a terror plot a week ago that will likely see stringent new security measures at airports. Picture: Brook Mitchell.
However, the new security measures are likely to become permanent and Mr Chester said security at all domestic airports had already tightened since last weekend’s arrests.
Police allege that brothers Khaled Mahmoud Kayat, 49, and Mahmoud Kayat, 32, planned to use the improvised explosive device (IED) after carrying it to Sydney international airport.
A third brother, who was unaware of the terror plan, was unwittingly boarding the Etihad flight with the device in his luggage.
Terrorism investigators say parts of the IED had been sent from Turkey via air cargo from a fourth brother, who is an Islamic State commander.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/flig ... 2f20e84c8b
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Mitch
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Re: Aircraft security

Post by Mitch »

Requiring an ID for a domestic flight isn't anything new. I've had my ID checked for a domestic flight, and they say they may require one when checking into your flight.

Thanks,
Mitch :lol:
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Re: Aircraft security

Post by CCCC »

They really need to tighten ground crew checks , Never once in all the years (left last year) did I have my bag checked in or out ,
was working in freight and could have easily slipped something in or out past security , was always crawling around the holds of planes.
Roderick Smith
Posts: 1321
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Re: Aircraft security

Post by Roderick Smith »

Roderick.

August 6 2017 Photo ID checks for domestic passengers are literally a waste of time .
There's been serious discussion among senior government figures that travellers could be forced to show photo identification before boarding domestic flights.
Mr Turnbull last week said the government had to be "constantly upgrading and improving our security services". Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has backed photo ID checks, as has the Australian Airline Pilots Association.
At the moment Australia's domestic air passengers aren't required to show photo identification to check in and board an aircraft. Photo: AAP
At the moment Australia's domestic air passengers aren't required to show photo identification in order to check in and board an aircraft.
In the past we've heard of state police concerns that individuals involved in serious and organised crime were regularly travelling under assumed identities. This made it difficult for police to adequately investigate the movement of persons of interest.
It's not clear if any proposed identity checks should be undertaken by a government official, or perhaps if you don't have photo identification travellers might be required to sign a statutory declaration confirming their identity.
To date we haven't seen any real cost benefit analysis that would support such a measure. It's hard to see how such a measure would deter a terrorist, although it may assist in tracking one after any security incident; arguably this could be done using video camera footage from airports. It's a requirement that obviously isn't likely to worry a suicide bomber.
For the police, having passengers present photo identification may assist in tracking criminals across state borders rather than contribute directly to enhancing aviation safety. If it's warranted for planes, what about interstate buses and rail as well? For these benefits to be realised, connectivity between airline check in staff and police and security databases will need to be achieved.
But photo identification won't really help identify people who want to hide their true identity. Such a measure may in fact only encourage a greater trade in bogus identification documents and so expand the capabilities of organised criminals or wannabe jihadis.
The measure will be of only limited benefit for law enforcement and almost no benefit for aviation safety and security. It will, however, introduce additional delays at airports and so add to the inconvenience of travellers.
There are practical problems too. We don't have a national identification card in Australia. Not everyone has a driver's licence or passport. The current airline booking system is designed to encourage the reduction of costs by online bookings and self check-in in at terminals. Requiring photo identification to be checked by a government official or airline staff will add significant costs for the airlines. This will be just passed on to travellers.
We should be moving much more to a risk-based approach to aviation security rather than the current one-size-fits-all approach. For frequent flyers, why not introduce lighter security checks and allow security officers to focus on the non frequent flyer? Or introduce biometric check-in capabilities, as is being tested at Dallas Fort Worth domestic airport?
The relatively small number of people who undertake the bulk of the flying shouldn't be required to undertake the same security checks as other flyers.
The current uniform approach doesn't produce better security; it just inconveniences regular customers and undermines security by dissipating limited security assets.
Anthony Bergin is senior research fellow, ANU's National Security College and senior analyst, Australian Strategic Policy Institute
http://www.theage.com.au/comment/photo- ... xp5sj.html

Melbourne Airport security officers voice converns over weapons, assaults and restricted area access.
Herald Sun August 6, 2017.
SERIOUS concerns about the security of Melbourne Airport have been raised in a confidential survey of security officers.
Attempts to take undeclared weapons through security, doors being forced open to enter restricted areas and ­assaults on guards were just some of problems highlighted.
The audit, which has been handed to the airport’s operators, warned some security officers were finding contraband items and substances daily.
More than three-quarters of the officers said the job had ­become more difficult — with an increased workload.
There were also concerns about contracts being given to smaller security contractors.
AFP boss confident in airport security
The survey of 128 security officers, undertaken by the United Voice union, found:
WIRE fences being cut and alarmed doors being forced open to enter restricted areas;
ASSAULTS on security officers as well as the public; and
MORE than one in five ­officers seeing undeclared ­weapons being discovered in screenings, including bullets, firearms and large knives.
Nine out of 10 security officers said they wanted the airport’s biggest security contract to stay with ISS Australia — and were worried the airport would seek a cheaper option.
With a decision on the tender due in the coming weeks, nearly half said they would quit if the airport went with ­another security contractor.
United Voice Victoria branch secretary Jess Walsh has warned experienced screening officers could be forced out. Picture: AAP Image/Caroline Schelle
One long-time ISS security officer said: “If the contract went to some small award ­contractor I would have no choice but to leave or face ­losing thousands.
“I have seen what small, dodgy operators are doing in other places and it makes me sick to think what that does to the officers and the places they are protecting.”
United Voice state secretary Jess Walsh said hundreds of experienced screening officers could be forced out of jobs.
“At Melbourne Airport we’ve got some of Australia’s most experienced screening officers — they stop weapons from getting on planes,” Ms Walsh said.
“Melbourne Airport has ­already begun moving to cut-price contractors, who pay rock-bottom wages and have a revolving door of inexperienced casual staff.”
A Melbourne Airport spokesman said: “It would be inappropriate for us to comment on commercial negotiations and we don’t comment on specific matters relating to security, including staffing ­arrangements”
WHY AIRPORT DELAYS ARE HERE TO STAY.
AIRPORT OVERHAUL AS TRAVEL GETS TOUGH.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victor ... 2a187cf0e2
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Tim Williams
Posts: 1241
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Re: Aircraft security

Post by Tim Williams »

Hi Roderick,

Your posts are prolific and varied in subject, but far too long - this one is a classic example! I do believe those lengthy postings, might be off-putting to some.

Might I suggest that you do a precis of those professional items you have discovered, along with a link to the subject sites, for those who wish to get into detail.

Kind regards,

Tim Williams.
Roderick Smith
Posts: 1321
Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 8:44 pm

Re: Aircraft security

Post by Roderick Smith »

Airport chiefs fear queues outside terminals are ripe for terror attack Sunday Telegraph August 27, 2017.
•New rules at airports coming after terror scare •Tighter airport security and checks ‘the new normal’
AIRPORT bosses and several Government MPs fear a plan to require ID before domestic flights will force travellers to queue outside terminals, making them sitting ducks for a terror attack.
The concerns were raised about the proposed ID checks flagged in the wake of an alleged Islamic terrorist plot to bring down an airliner leaving Sydney.
The issue is expected to be raised this week when airport chiefs meet in Canberra to discuss their response to an independent review of security at airports across Australia, commissioned by the Turnbull Government.
Long airport queues are a terror risk, airport bosses fear. Picture: Tim Hunter Under the proposal, airports would be forced to roll out costly equipment to scan people’s identification but industry experts believe it would do little to stop a would-be terrorist who was not on the terror watch list.
There are also concerns that not all travellers will have official identification such as a driver’s licence or a passport.
Some airport bosses are concerned the tough new security measures will also cause long delays at airports, potentially creating a new target as crowds congregate at check-in counters.
Airport chiefs will instead push for state-of-the-art scanning equipment, currently used overseas, which will ensure luggage is safe before it goes on to a plane.
It comes as the United States Transportation Security Administration announced it would review security on cargo flights following revelations a Sydney terror cell shipped components for a bomb from Turkey to Australia on a commercial cargo plane.
In response to the US review federal Transport Minister Darren Chester said the Australian Government works with security agencies and international partners to regularly review and manage aviation security risk.
Queues at Sydney airport. Picture: Tim Hunter “The Office of Transport Security (OTS) works with overseas airports and airlines to address adverse findings and security gaps where necessary,” Mr Chester said.
Mr Chester said Australian has imposed prohibitions on the air cargo from Syria, Egypt, Bangladesh, Yemen and Somalia since 2015.
But one senior Government source said security agencies are increasingly worried about screening and security measures at airports, such as those in the Philippines, considered last ports of call for incoming flights to Australia.
This week Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull warned that Australia could be directly threatened by Islamic State’s operations in the Philippines as foreign fighters returning from Iraq and Syria flock to the southern city of Marawi.
It comes as the terror group released a video labelling Australia a guard dog to the US in the region.
RELATED: Turnbull govt defends new airport security.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/news/airport-chief ... 583873f4cc>
* Once again, blame and inconvenience the victims.
Remove the cause of this illness
As for fighters returning to countries of origin why are they being allowed to return.
If the authorities know who they are, then detain them, better still kill them over there.
What happened to airport security, or is it all to harass an innocent traveler over a bottle of shampoo or toothpaste? How are these soldier of an enemy able to travel freely?
* Perhaps now would be a good time to reintroduce the Australia card. Either that or a passport would be the only accepted ID.
Been to a few clubs in the last few years and they all had readers for driver' licenses so I doubt the equipment expense would be an issue.
* Our so called Allie America created Isis, now we have become a target because of their greed for world dominance.
* All this trouble, all this expense, all this disruption to our lives not to mention the deaths and the maiming.
And we still allow this ideology to flourish in our society.
Why? Because of misplaced sympathy for what we call the "moderate majority " that are in fact the sea that the violent minority swim in.
* Keeping the Whigs Honest these queues have been attacked before in other countries. This article is not a how to guide. Trust me, they are already aware of hot zones to attack.
* Maybe ...it is now imperative that Burqa wearers, are not allowed into the airport...They drift in as apparent visitors or relatives to see off someone...never checked...they just mingle and then who knows what can happen next.. The Burqa would be the ideal disguise for a man or woman with a dangerous ulterior motive...and public places...airports, shopping centre etc,,,would be great targets.
* if these queues were not flagged as potential targets, they are now.
* Have just spent 6 weeks travelling around the USA where they check id's before domestic flights amongst other security measures. The queues don't go out the doors there. Maybe an over reaction by politicians. Perhaps get some advice from the people who have already implemented it successfully. Though given Australia's (and Victoria's) track record for ignoring successful infrastructure in other countries to pick untried useless alternatives- NBN, Myki,....I'm not hopeful.
* Some domestic airports already ask for photo ID, and many don't. Hasn't caused any long queues where it is done.
Pretty simple really to clearly state at booking time that PHOTO ID WILL BE REQUIRED.
Certainly far from foolproof, but a start.
* Remove the self check in and bag drop off areas and reinstall Check in Desks, staffed by Airline personnel and overseen by AFP, in case of some issue.
Given ID checks are or will be needed for domestic flights, lets return to the old way of having Check in Counters for flights, as they do for International Flights.
That way, bags are save with the passenger, until handed over at check in. Passenger Id is check and verified, and the seat allocation done, then they can walk through screening without issues.
Passengers walk into terminal - look at Information Board to see which Counter to go to for their flight, and queue up, as they do now at the International Terminal, Melbourne Airport.
Given the amount of flights, a number of check in desk would be required, similar to International Flights.
This would remove the long queues that exist now, and reduce the chance of a terror attack, given id will need to be checked at time of check in.
Currently there is little proof required before board flights.
* Then have random checks at all areas of the airport , the cops already do it now at railway stations and if profiling is required then do it . Time to bring in this fingerprint ID technology , all Australian issued passports should have an owners fingerprint recorded in a data bank against it or at least be given the voluntary option . I would do it that way I know that if I lost/had stolen my passport I would be able to have it replaced fairly quickly and no other scammer would be able to use it to steal my identity .
* Smart people like Mark Steyn have been saying the extra "security" checks at airports will be easy prwy for terrorists for over a decade and it's only now occurred to our protectors?
* I'm not a military analyst but if foreign ISIS fighters are flocking to Marawi doesn't that give a perfect opportunity to eliminate these twits?
Roderick Smith
Posts: 1321
Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 8:44 pm

Re: Aircraft security

Post by Roderick Smith »

Roderick

New ConneCT airport scanner to allow passengers to keep laptops and liquids in their bags.
Microchip: The new way of passing though airport security?
No boarding pass required for Andreas Sjastram, who becomes the first person to use new microchip technology to breeze through an airport.
Air passengers might soon be free from the hassle of having to remove their iPads and laptops from their bags when going through security.
New scanners using CT (computed tomography) technology and 3D imaging will also mean travellers no longer have to repackage their liquids into small plastic bags for screening.
The scanners, which have this week been given accreditation by America's Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will cut drastically the time it takes for passengers to get through security.
Engineered by Boston-based Analogic, a number of the new ConneCT scanners have already been purchased and trialled by American Airlines and now look set to be used across the US.
"With record-breaking air travel numbers and new threats to the public, it is ever more important to deploy cutting-edge technology that can evolve with the security landscape," said Jim Ryan, general manager of security detection and power technologies at Analogic.
The technology was first used in June during a demonstration at Phoenix Sky Harbour International, but has also made an appearance in the UK.
Luton Airport has this year tested a similar CT scanner which would allow passengers to take carry-on luggage through security without removing liquids. A spokesperson for the airport said that the trial has now concluded and the results been shared with the Department of Transport, which is understood to be constantly reviewing new technology for airport security.
A complete ban on carrying liquids onto an aircraft was introduced in August 2006 after a terrorist plotted to take down a transatlantic flight by mixing the liquid components of a bomb on board.
It was eased following extensive research which concluded that liquids in quantities below 100 ml posed no threat to an aircraft.
Elsewhere other technologies are also being trialled, including a device which scans bottles for liquid explosives.
One company, Cobalt Light Systems, of Abingdon, has machines being evaluated in hundreds of airports across Europe, including dozens in Britain.
The new technology will mean travellers won't have to remove their iPads and laptops from their bags when going through ...
The new technology will mean travellers won't have to remove their iPads and laptops from their bags when going through airport security. Photo: Adobe Stock
Known as the Insight 200, the device can spot explosives in less than 10 seconds. Should the device detect "threat material" it triggers an alarm.
It is aimed at "LAGS" - liquids, aerosols and gels - and has been approved by the European Civil Aviation Conference, an intergovernmental body responsible for airline and airport security.
Tests have shown both a high level of accuracy and a negligible number of false alarms.
The EU has been keen to lift the restrictions for some time, but its deadline for doing so has been put back several times.
At one point it looked as if the 100ml limit could be eased. Now allowing small amounts of liquids to be left in cabin luggage, rather than placed in a clear plastic bag and scanned separately, appears a more likely option.
Airlines have made clear that there would have to be a consistent approach across all airports before the rules are eased, warning that different policies would create chaos.
See also: Dubai, you're dumped: The London stopover Australian travellers preferred to opt out of
See also: How flying in the US became a 37-year descent into airline hell
See also: Jetstar becomes first Australian airline to offer Afterpay
Man jumps into airport X-ray scanner. A confused Chinese traveller hilariously climbs into an airport X-ray scanner.
Telegraph, London http://www.traveller.com.au/new-connect ... ags-gyhctv
Roderick Smith
Posts: 1321
Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 8:44 pm

Re: Aircraft security - lithium batteries

Post by Roderick Smith »

'Smart' suitcases and lithium batteries: Airline ban on bags where battery can't be removed
Bluesmart, which says more than 65,000 of its suitcases are being used around the world, said its batteries cannot be ...
Bluesmart, which says more than 65,000 of its suitcases are being used around the world, said its batteries cannot be removed but that its products meet all safety regulations and requirements. It said it would be holding meetings with airlines to try and ensure its products are exempt from any restrictions. Photo: AP
Smart suitcases" may be able to charge mobile phones or be easily found if misplaced, but unless their battery can be removed they risk being sent packing by the world's airlines.
Global airlines body IATA said it could issue industry-wide standards on the new luggage soon, after some airlines issued their own restrictions on smart bags, whose manufacturers include companies such as BlueSmart, Raden or Away.
These contain GPS tracking and can charge devices, weigh themselves or be locked remotely using mobile phones, but they are powered by lithium ion batteries, which the aviation industry regards as a fire risk, especially in the cargo hold.
IATA is expected to announce guidance on the issue soon, but many airlines have already taken action to restrict or ban the carriage of the suitcases.
Virgin Australia said in a statement that passengers would only be allowed to use the bags as carry-on luggage.
"In the event that the guest's smart bag is too heavy, the lithium battery must be removed and carried as a spare battery in carry-on baggage. If the lithium battery cannot be removed, the smart bag cannot be carried on our aircraft," the airline said.
Qantas will not allow cases on its planes at all if the batteries cannot be removed.
US based carriers American Airlines, Delta and Alaska Airlines all said last week that as of January 15, 2018, they would require the battery to be removed before allowing the bags on board.
Careen gave no details of any potential industry-wide standards, but said he expected others could quickly follow the example of these carriers.
Away and Raden say on their websites that batteries in their bags can be easily removed.
Bluesmart, which says more than 65,000 of its suitcases are being used around the world, said its batteries cannot be removed but that its products meet all safety regulations and requirements.
It said it would be holding meetings with airlines to try and ensure its products are exempt from any restrictions.
Concerns over the risk of a lithium ion battery fire were highlighted during the electronics ban temporarily imposed earlier this year on some flights to the United States.
See also: Why Qantas won't let you pick up your phone if you drop it on board
See also: Why you can't take hoverboards on planes
Dec 13 2017 http://www.traveller.com.au/smart-suitc ... ved-gzzkgr
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