Enhanced airport security

We have often heard the axiom that “terrorists have to be lucky once, but Governments have to be lucky all the time”. As Sri Lankans, we have experienced this first hand, until terrorism was ended on Sri Lankan soil five years ago.

In today’s security environment, no country, whether at war or peace, can afford to relax security and vigilance. Eternal vigilance is the only way in which terrorism can be contained to some extent. Terrorism has become a global phenomenon, with no defined boundaries. Unfortunately, there are many militant and terrorist groups that target civilians and civilian installations that have nothing whatsoever to do with their conflicts and ideologies.

Civilian planes have always been in the cross-hairs of terrorist plots and there have been plenty of incidents of terrorists hijacking and even blowing up planes. In Sri Lanka, the LTTE attacked the main civilian airport and destroyed planes. On an earlier occasion too, they blew up a plane. Recently in Pakistan, terrorists attacked a civilian airliner, killing some passengers.

But the biggest incident in civil aviation history is the hijacking of four US planes on September 11, 2001, two of which were used by the hijackers to ram into the iconic World Trade Centre in New York. This was THE event that changed everything.

It particularly affected airport and airliner security as many new rules and checks were introduced. Most countries now have an armed air marshal on board their airliners. Many Governments also introduced agencies that specifically worked in the sphere of transport security - the USA’s Transport Security Administration (TSA) is the prime example.

Sophisticated

We are now accustomed to long security lines at airports. Since the bomb makers of terror groups are getting more sophisticated every day, governments and airline security authorities have also implemented stricter checks and controls. Terrorists have tried various methods to blow up planes - shoe bombs, underwear bombs and even liquid bombs. As a result, travellers have to take off shoes, belts, jackets etc before boarding and items such as knives, scissors, liquids, aerosols etc are not allowed in hand luggage. I have been through several ‘whole body’ scanners at certain airports, which is another addition to the security measures in place. Some equipment can also detect explosives made of material other than metal.

The latest such security measure or directive comes from the US, where the TSA wants passengers to power up their laptops, tablets, smartphones and certain other electronic devices on demand. In other words, they should be fully charged before you try to board the flight. This measure is to be implemented in US airports as well as foreign airports which have direct flights to the US.

Passengers could be asked to switch on devices, and equipment that does not power up would not be allowed on board. This is probably a response to a new terror threat, as it is believed that terror groups in Syria and Yemen are trying to build a ‘smartphone bomb’ or similar device that could go through airport security without being detected. There are reports that Airlines and airports are obliged to meet security standards set by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the US in order to carry on operating non-stop flights. A TSA statement for the first time gave details of enhanced screening of electronic equipment.

“During the security examination, officers may also ask that owners power up some devices, including cell phones. Powerless devices will not be permitted on board the aircraft. The traveller may also undergo additional screening.” Officials had singled out mobile phones made by Apple and Samsung for extra checks.

There is little doubt that this measure too will be adopted worldwide - even for flights that do not originate in or depart to the US. After all, terrorists will not discriminate when it comes to deploying their terror operatives and tactics. It is also better to be safe than to be sorry in any case.

Chargers

But what does this mean for air travellers? This could, of course, lead to some delays but the best advice to come to the airport a little earlier than usual to allow extra time for the checks. However, no airline will willingly leave passengers stranded if any delay is caused by airport authorities.

In the light of the latest directive, it is also better to charge your electronic devices well before the flight and ensure that they do not drain excessively. Make sure that you take all chargers with you.

Write down the phone/computer make and model numbers and serial numbers in case further inspection is called for. Do follow all other ‘common sense’ ideas such as wearing easy-to-remove shoes.

And do keep an eye on your belongings as they come out of the scanner machine.

Airport security is a fact of life. You have to live with it, though it may sound inconvenient to most travellers. But if you live in a country or region where alternatives to air travel are available for domestic and international travel, you may explore these options because security is often less stringent and they could even be more convenient. You can also take more baggage in most instances.

For example, it is much better to take the train between most European cities.

Trains arrive directly at the city centre, whereas airports are usually at least 30 Km away. This way, you can save a lot of money and time even if flights times are theoretically much shorter.

Among the other alternatives are private car, public bus and ferry. Most islands, on the other hand, have no route to the outside world other than air travel and passengers will have to bear any additional security checks.

Airlines, governments and passengers do not want incidents such as Lockerbie (the blowing up of a PAN AM passenger plane over Scotland on December 21, 1988 by a terrorist bomb) to happen again. If stricter security measures are the price we have to pay to keep the skies safe, so be it.