Aviation securityU.K. airlines support Broughton's criticism of U.S. security requirements
Martin Broughton, the chairman of British Airways, said some parts of the U.S.-inspired aviation security program are “completely redundant” and Britain should stop “kowtowing” to the United States every time the United States wants something done; Broughton said people should not be forced to take off their shoes or have laptops checked separately when checking in for flights; nor was there any need to pander to the Americans especially when it involves checks the U.S. government does not impose on U.S. domestic routes
TSA agent screening for explosives // Source: sott.net
The U.K. aviation industry has backed a call by the chairman of British Airways for a radical overhaul of airport security checks.
Martin Broughton said some parts of the security program are “completely redundant” and Britain should stop “kowtowing” to the United States every time it wants something done. He was speaking at the annual conference of the U.K. Airport Operators Association in London.
Osman Baig reports for Sky News that Broughton said people should not be forced to take off their shoes or have laptops checked separately when checking in for flights. Nor was there any need to pander to the Americans especially when it involves checks they do not impose on their own domestic routes.
Broughton, who is also the chairman of Liverpool Football Club (and who, we should note, arranged for the sale of the club to John Henry, the owner of the Boston Red Sox, over the opposition of the previous American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett), said: “We should say, “We’ll only do things which we consider to be essential and that you Americans also consider essential.”
“We all know there’s quite a number of elements in the security program which are completely redundant and they should be sorted out.”
Mike Carrivick, chief executive of Bar UK, which represents more than eighty scheduled airlines in the United Kingdom, agreed the issue of airport security needs to be addressed.
“There seems to be a layered approach to security at airports. Every time there is a new security scare, an extra layer is added on to procedures,” he said. “We need to step back and have a look at the whole situation.”
Colin Matthews, chief executive of airport operator BAA, said passengers would be better served if checks were “rationalized.”
“What we do in security in Heathrow and other airports is defined by the authorities and it’s really one requirement laid on top of another,” he said. “We could certainly do a better job for customers if we can rationalize them.”
Sky News reporter Amy Lewis said the Department for Transport has indicated it is working on a new security framework and more details would emerge in the coming months.
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said he was aware of concerns about airport security, saying it would “remain a continuing challenge to the industry.”
He added: “I intend to develop a new regulatory system - one that frees up operators to devise the security processes needed to deliver them in line with EU requirements.”
Airport security around the world has increased since 9/11, and the United States further tightened checks in January weeks after the alleged Christmas Day bomb plot.
These included body pat-down searches and carry-on baggage checks for passengers arriving from fourteen nations which authorities consider a security risk.
Broughton said that no-one wanted poor security but added: “We all know there’s quite a number of elements in the security program which are completely redundant and they should be sorted out.”
He said confusion over whether the iPad is a laptop or not, thereby requiring further examination, was one example of inconsistencies.
