You are here: Home » Archives for Security
Security - Articles and news items
Latest issue / 4 April 2013 /
Security checkpoints at airports remain the number one bugbear for travellers. But, as Dan Ebbinghaus, Vice President – Government Solutions at SITA explains, the day when they are so embedded with smart IT that they are hardly even noticed by passengers, is drawing nearer.
In Europe, that day came a step closer when European Union (EU) member states implemented recommendations to move to self-service border control using Automated Border Control (ABC) gates. As part of this initiative, sophisticated biometrics technology can be now used for automated border gates – or ‘e-gates’ – at immigration control points throughout European airports. This is a critical part of the EU’s shift towards self-service border control. (more…)
Latest issue / 4 April 2013 /
TSA Administrator, John S. Pistole, provides an insight into how the Transportation Security Administration is transforming airport security.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) continues its transformation from an organisation that screens every passenger in the same ‘one size fits all’ way, to a risk-based, intelligence-driven model. The TSA uses the latest technology, analyses and shares intelligence in real-time, and applies the principles of risk-mitigation and riskmanagement to carry out its mission to safeguard the free movement of people and commerce across all modes of transportation. It is an evolution we began in earnest in late- 2011, deploying several new initiatives and modifying some of our existing security screening protocols to more closely reflect this commitment to risk-based security. In large part, the operational changes I referenced can already be seen in many of the United States’ busiest airports. In the latter half of 2011, we began looking at additional information to help us determine if there were certain age-based decisions we could make. In other words, did current intelligence indicate the possibility of modifying our security screening protocols to expedite the movement of some passengers through the checkpoint based solely on their age? (more…)
Latest issue / 4 April 2013 /
Today’s passengers want all possible security threats detected quickly and with minimal waiting time, while being treated like valued paying customers. Yves Duguay, Senior Vice President – Operations and Passenger Experience at CATSA, explains why it’s not as easy as it sounds.
Providing a quality security service is at the heart of what the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) strives to achieve. It has taken a decade for the corporation to build systematic and robust programmes to deliver this valuable service to the 51 million passengers who pass through Canada’s airports every year. (more…)
Airport news / 24 October 2012 /
After a thorough evaluation process, Oslo Airport has decided to award G4S the contracts for security services. The contracts have a duration of six years, starting 1 March 2013.
(more…)
Issue 5 2011 / 5 October 2011 /
The next time you pass through security at a major Canadian airport, you may find the queues moving a little faster than usual. That’s because the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) is making a number of innovative improvements to the security screening process for a better passenger experience.
The move towards more passenger-focused air travel is one that requires collaboration on the part of all players in the aviation industry, making the timing of this shift critical. In the aftermath of September 11, the industry was scrambling to operate within a new reality and security was, understandably, the overriding focus. But with 10 years behind us, CATSA is working within a much more mature security framework as it relates to the aviation industry where organisations such as ours must widen our approach to providing services to include the needs of the industry as well as the protection of the passenger. This means not only delivering screening services effectively and efficiently, but also considering the requirements of airports, airlines and other partners, as well as passengers. (more…)
Issue 4 2011 / 8 August 2011 /
More than 100 million passengers and billions of pounds worth of freight enter the UK through airports each year. Airports are the largest entry point for traffic into the UK and the UK Border Agency is the first point of contact through the border force.
Formed in 2008, the UK Border Agency is responsible for securing the UK border and controlling migration, with the border force being the law enforcement arm responsible for enforcing customs and immigration law at the border. The Agency uses innovative technology and robust controls to help protect the country from illegal immigration, smugglers, organised crime and terrorism. (more…)
Issue 4 2011 / 8 August 2011 /
Since the devastating terrorist attacks of 9/11, the threat of further atrocities has been at the forefront of the national agenda. Almost 10 years on and the security landscape has changed dramatically, with these changes most apparent in the aviation sector. Moreover, the recent announcement of the death of Osama Bin Laden has provided a stark reminder of the risk the UK continues to face, with the Government warning of an increased likelihood of retaliatory attacks. As such, the role of aviation security is bound to remain critical in the fight against terrorism.
For many of us, it has been hard to believe that almost 10 years have passed since the World Trade Centre attacks of 9/11, bringing the aviation security industry firmly into the spotlight. Since then, airport security has been at the forefront of counter terror measures, as procedures and technology are continually updated to face the ever changing security threat. (more…)
Issue 3 2011 / 10 June 2011 /
The Declaration on Aviation Security adopted unanimously by the 37th Session of the ICAO Assembly last year set the stage for continuing improvements in how threats to the security of aircraft and facilities worldwide will be dealt with in the future.
The catalyst was the attempted bombing of a commercial airliner on 25 December 2009. Shortly after that incident, ICAO convened a series of Ministerial-level conferences on aviation security in Mexico City, Tokyo, Abuja and Abu Dhabi.
In all of the meetings, there was a strong commitment by states to protect civil aviation from all kinds of terrorist threats, as well as an expression of collective responsibility for taking action. (more…)
Issue 2 2011 / 11 April 2011 /
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is dedicated to protecting our Nation’s transportation systems and safeguarding the travelling public. We face an adaptive adversary who seeks vulnerabilities in our system and, as a result, TSA must employ new methods to stay ahead of evolving threats. Security technologies, such as Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT), are a critical part of this effort.
Based upon the latest intelligence and after studying all available technologies, the TSA has concluded AIT is the most effective method to detect threat items concealed on passengers while maintaining efficient checkpoint screening operations. (more…)
Issue 1 2011 / 26 January 2011 /
11 May 1996. After a delay caused by a mechanical problem Valujet flight 592, a Douglas DC-9-32 with 105 passengers and five crew onboard pushes back from the gate at Miami International Airport for departure to Atlanta.
Twenty minutes later, after taxiing to runway 9 Left, the aircraft is airborne but after only six minutes the flight crew receive indications of significant electrical malfunctions. Shortly after, screams from the cabin of “fire” are recorded on the cockpit voice recorder, with a flight attendant heard to say that the cabin was “completely on fire”. Three minutes after the first indication of a problem the aircraft crashes into the Everglades. There are no survivors. (more…)
Issue 1 2011 / 26 January 2011 /
Security has become an ever increasing feature of our daily lives and nowhere is this more readily apparent than in the airport. For the majority of passengers, the most overt indicator is the queue at the security checkpoint as more rigorous checks on passengers and their luggage cause bottlenecks.
While passenger and baggage screening understandably remains a high priority for airports, a more holistic approach is often being adopted, one which brings together the different security threats that are faced and deals with them through interoperable solutions using fully integrated systems. (more…)
Issue 1 2011 / 26 January 2011 /
National headlines for the aviation industry in December 2010 were mostly about snow, closed airports and angry passengers. But amidst the acres of newsprint on the weather and stranded travellers was a court ruling that could actually have much greater implications for the future of the industry and for air travel.
A French court ruled that Continental Airlines was responsible for the tragic Concorde crash in Paris in 2000 because of a FOD (Foreign Object Debris) incident in which a strip of metal on the runway caused fatal damage to the aircraft.
Continental will have to reimburse Air France the compensation it paid to victims’ families and faces the possibility of a major class action suit that could cost hundreds of millions. (more…)
Issue 6 2010 / 13 December 2010 /
Oslo Airport (OSL) is Norway’s main airport located at Gardermoen in the municipality of Ullensaker, approximately 47 kilometres north of Oslo. The airport serviced 18.1 million passengers in 2009 and has been named Europe’s most punctual airport four times by the AEA (Association of European Airlines).
The airport has a strong environmental profile and focuses on public transport to and from the airport. A BAA survey in 2007 showed that Oslo Airport Gardermoen has the highest share of public transport in Europe, with a huge 60.1%. (more…)
Issue 6 2010 / 13 December 2010 /
In the wake of the latest series of terrorist bomb plots, the enhancement of air cargo security has pushed itself firmly into the spotlight. Yet, as Drew Hillier reports, in the UK, for example, where 60% of air freight is carried in passenger airlines, (the remainder being handled by specialist cargo planes) whilst all passenger baggage is subject to inspection by X-ray, only a small amount of air cargo has hitherto been checked with similar rigour. With this in mind, and the global economic belt being pulled ever tighter, it’s time that the industry adopts far greater degrees of joined up thinking to ensure belly-hold cargo does not constitute a major weak link in the worldwide distribution supply chain. (more…)
Issue 3 2010 / 9 June 2010 /
On December 25, 2009, Umar Faruk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian citizen, allegedly attempted to detonate an improvised explosive device he smuggled on board Northwest Flight 253. The events of Christmas Day serve as a powerful reminder of the extremes to which terrorists will go to circumvent the enhanced security measures put in place since September 11, 2001. It also highlights that our adversary is adaptive and will engineer around static defenses. To stay ahead of this evolving threat landscape, TSA employs a layered approach to securing the Nation’s transportation systems. While our security checkpoints in airports are the most readily recognisable, we have many other critical layers of security in place to mitigate threats, including intelligence analysis, behaviour detection officers, canine teams, as well as other layers that may be visible and invisible to the public. Each layer alone is capable of stopping a terrorist attack but, in combination, their security value is multiplied, creating a strong, formidable system. A terrorist who has to overcome multiple security layers in order to carry out an attack is more likely to be pre-empted, deterred, or thwarted during – or even before – the attempt. (more…)
Login to access exclusive content