SESSION TOPIC: AIRLINE SECURITY

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the session you will be able to:

1.Know the importance of airline security

2. Recognize the different airport screening methods
3. Recognize and understand the security measures implemented by the airport authorities
and airlines to ensure the wellbeing of the public utilizing the airport

KEY TERMS:

Airline Security Explosives trace detection (ETD)

Passenger screening Passenger positive bag match
Explosive detection system (EDS) Air marshals

CORE CONTENT:

Airport security

Airport security refers to the techniques and methods used in an attempt to protect
passengers, staff, aircraft, and airport property from accidental/malicious harm, crime, terrorism,
and other threats. Aviation security is a combination of human and material resources to safeguard
civil aviation against unlawful interference. Unlawful interference could be acts of terrorism,
sabotage, threat to life and property, communication of false threat, bombing, etc.
During the 1970s, modern airport security was first introduced. Following the 11
September 2001 attacks in the United States, security was heightened worldwide. Most countries
introduced a ban on carrying liquids in 2006. Over the years, experts have tried best to determine
the best ways to enhance the security of air travel, and what items to permit.

Access Control
Airports designate certain sensitive areas as "restricted areas," which are also known in
the industry as sterile areas. Restricted areas are located in the airside area of the airport terminal
and include outside the terminal at the apron as well as the runway areas. Each airport specifies
requirements for personnel background checks or other procedures when issuing an airport
identification to any airport personnel.
The access control areas of an airport include:
• Passenger departure areas between the screening checkpoints and the aircraft
• Aircraft ramps and operating areas
• Baggage areas
• Cargo warehouses
• Mail centers
• Catering centers
• Maintenance areas

Airports have established access control procedures to prevent any prohibited persons or
Items from being admitted or transported into the restricted areas.

ID card display programs

Airline ground personnel and other airport staff are required to display ID cards at all times
when they are performing their job duties within the airport area, especially within the airside area
of the passenger terminal.

Entrances and checkpoints

Airports establish different checkpoints to protect the restricted areas. The most common
checkpoints that passenger and airline staff use are the security checkpoints, which divide the
landside and airside areas within the terminal building.

Screening of vehicles
Checkpoints have been set up to allow automobiles and trucks to enter the airport restricted
area. Vehicles that need to access the restricted area may include fueling trucks, cargo trucks,
catering trucks, et cetera.

Aircraft security
In an airline operation, individual airlines also implement security
measures to prohibit unauthorized personnel from accessing their aircraft.

Passenger Screening
To prevent and detect the passing of unauthorized weapons, explosives, or other dangerous
items and to prevent acts of unlawful interference that affect the air travel operations, all passengers
and their respective belongings are subject to screening prior to boarding.

Airport enforcement authority

While some countries may have an agency that protects all of their airports (such as
Australia, in which the Australian Federal Police polices the airport), in other countries the
protection is controlled at the state or local level. The primary personnel will vary and can include:
• A police force hired and dedicated to the airport e.g. the Irish Airport Police Service
• A branch (substation) of the local police department stationed at the airport
• Members of the local police department assigned to the airport as their normal patrol area
• Members of a country's airport protection service
• Police dog services for explosive detection, drug detection and other purposes
• Other resources may include:

• Security guards
• Paramilitary forces
• Military forces

Prohibited carry-on items

There are some items that you’re not allowed to take on your aircraft in either your hand
baggage or your hold luggage.

• Flammable liquids and solids

• Oxidisers such as bleaching powders
• Organic peroxides
• Tear gas devices or any gas cylinders
• Infectious substances such as live virus materials
• Wet-cell car batteries
• Magnetrons
• Instruments containing mercury - however, thermometers with mercury are permitted in hold
luggage (but not hand luggage) only, if they are carried in a protective case
• Instruments containing magnets
• Fireworks
• Toy/replica guns (metal or plastic)
• Non-safety matches
• Firelighters, lighter fuel, paints or thinners
• Poisons, arsenic, cyanide or weed killer
• Radioactive materials, acids, corrosives, alkalis or caustic soda
• Creosote, quicklime or oiled paper
• Vehicle fuel system parts which have contained fuel
• Party poppers
Photo taken from Philippine Airlines’ website
Photo taken from Philippine Airlines’ website
Photo taken from Philippine Airlines’ website
 Photo taken from Philippine Airlines’ website

If any illegal items such as martial arts equipment or bullets are found during the carry-on
screening, security personnel at the checkpoint will contact law enforcement for investigation,
which might cause the passenger to miss the flight. Such situations can also delay the arrival of
other passengers to their gates.
Screening of checked-in Baggage
Similar to carry-on baggage, all passengers’ checked-in baggage are required to go through
a screening process prior to being loaded onto the aircraft Any person who refuses to permit
inspection of any item in the checked-in baggage that is not allowed into the sterile area or inside
the aircraft will not be allowed on board the aircraft.

Explosive Detection System (EDS)

The explosive detection system (EDS) can quickly determine whether a piece of baggage
contains any potential threat. If weapons or explosives are detected, the machines will alert the
security officers so they can deal with the baggage appropriately. In some cases, the issue is quickly
resolved, whereas in other cases, law enforcement and the bomb squad may be called in to handle
the problem. Most airports today link their baggage system with the EDS machines so that all
baggage will be scanned for explosives and weapons before being loaded into the aircraft cargo.

Sample EDS from The Department of Homeland Security

Science and Technology Directorate, US.
Explosive Trace Detection (EDT)
The explosive trace detection is explosive detection equipment able to detect explosives of
small magnitude. The detection is accomplished by sampling non-visible "trace" amounts of
particulates. Devices like ETDs are also used to detect narcotics. The equipment is used mainly in
airports and other vulnerable areas considered susceptible to acts of unlawful interference. Dr.
Stephen Lee is credited with inventing the Fido explosives detector while working at the Army
Research Laboratory.

Sample EDT

X-ray

All check-in baggage is required to proceed through the X-ray system. This is the most
basic baggage screening process. Like the machine used at the passenger checkpoints, the X-ray
machine at the baggage hall is large enough to ensure that all suitcases, boxes, and any oversized
items can easily pass through the system.

Physical Search
Security personnel can perform physical searches on the baggage to ensure there are no
illegal items that compromise safety being loaded onto an aircraft. In some cases, when the X-ray
machine detects a suspected article that might be hazardous on the flight, the baggage is delivered
separately to the apron area.

Canine
Sniffer dogs are already a common sight in airports -- usually, they're looking out for drugs,
weapons or other contraband. But specially trained dogs have also been trained to detect infections
and diseases, including cancer, malaria and Parkinson's disease.
 Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, in collaboration
with charity Medical Detection Dogs and the UK's Durham University, say respiratory diseases
change body odor, and they reckon trained dogs will be able to pick up this shift on Covid sufferers.

Air marshal
Air marshals are undercover male and female law enforcement or security officers who fly
on commercial aircraft to protect a flight from criminal events such as hijacking. Air marshals may
be deployed by airlines and government authorities.

Crew Training
In the past, crew members were trained to cooperate with the hijackers in the event of a
hijack so that the aircraft could land safely and before allowing law enforcement on the ground to
handle the situation. Today, flight attendants are trained to take a more aggressive role. Some
airlines, especially in Asia, require flight attendants to take up additional training such as martial
arts.

In-Text Activity

Inside Look: Inline Baggage Screening Systems

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-CA2aVKfUg&feature=youtu.be

UK researchers plan to train dogs to detect coronavirus in humans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB1DP04Z2KA

Inside Look: Federal Air Marshal Service

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv6O__vRTaM

Summary

Aviation security involves ensuring the safety of passengers, airline, and airport employees
and their respective properties.
All passengers and their belongings must be screened before they can board an aircraft.
Screening facilities, such as X-ray and EDS machines, are operated at different passenger
checkpoints to scan passengers' belongings.
Airline operations are also required to comply with the aviation policies of different
countries, which sometimes require the airlines to implement additional security measures,
including additional baggage security searches at check-in counters and/or the gate area.
Airlines also cooperate with air marshal programs offered by the
authorities of several countries.
Assessment

1. Based on the following airports in Asia, identify the location where the baggage screening
process for check-in baggage will take place.

Airport Location (e.g. Terminal 1, Terminal 4 etc.)

Changi International Airport,
Singapore
Incheon International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport
Taoyuan International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Beijing Capital International Airport
Tokyo Haneda International Airport
Tokyo Narita International Airport
Kansai International Airport
Chubu Centrair International Airport

2. Create an infographic regarding prohibited items to be carried on board.

3. Discuss how Air Marshal services started.

 REFERENCES

Gatwick Airport (2020). Security Advice. Retrieved from: https://www.gatwickairport.com/at-

the-airport/flying-out/security-advice/

Homeland Security (2020). Explosives Detection and Aviation Screening. Retrieved from:
https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/explosives-detection-and-aviation-
screening

Law, C. et Doerfelin M. (2014). Introduction to Airline Ground Service

Philippine Airlines (2020). Restricted Items. Retrieved from:

https://www.philippineairlines.com/travelinformation/beforeyoufly/baggageinformation/r
estricteditems

Tapfumaneyi, S. (2020). Airport dogs could sniff out coronavirus. Retrieved from:
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/airport-dogs-trial-coronavirus-wellness/index.html

Top10Asia (2020). Asia’s Top Ten Airports. Retrieved from:

https://www.top10asia.org/main/asias-top-10-airports/