Airlines India, Indian Airlines

Air India has relaxed the security measures that had angered passengers from Bahrain. The ban on liquids and duty free purchases, however, will continue. Passengers will now be allowed to carry laptops, cameras and mobile phones on board aircraft as cabin baggage, an airline official said.

Travel documents, cash, jewellery, medicines (accompanied by doctors’ prescriptions), other documents (school certificates and medical certificates among others) and infant food (only if an infant is travelling) are allowed on board.

On August 20, Air India banned all liquids and gels from cabin baggage and the ban was extended to cover all sorts of hand baggage, including duty free items, on August 28.

For airport screeners, failure is not an option.

The Transportation Security Administration is changing the way it grades airport screeners when it tests them on the finer aspects of their jobs. It is replacing the “pass/fail” grades with three alternative scores: achieves standards, exceeds standards, or role model of excellence, according to a TSA announcement to airport screeners.

The announcement did not mention a failing grade, although a TSA spokeswoman told CNN those who don’t measure up will be scored as “does not meet standards.”

The scoring system signals a significant change in the way airport screeners will be evaluated. While the TSA will still give annual tests to screeners, as required by Congress, it will not fire screeners for failing.

Beginning in 2007, screeners who perform poorly will be given remedial training and will be judged on their overall job performance, according to a TSA memo.

TSA spokeswoman Yolanda Clark said airport screeners currently are the only civilian federal employees holding non-degreed positions who must pass annual tests to keep their jobs. Some 1,118 of the nation’s approximately 43,000 screeners lost their jobs during the past three years because they failed to recertify, TSA officials said.

Clark said the changes are in keeping with TSA Director Edmund “Kip” Hawley’s efforts to professionalize the screener workforce.

‘It’s long overdue’
Screeners contacted by CNN were generally pleased with the change but were skeptical about TSA’s ability to fairly grade their performance.

“It’s about time; it’s long overdue; it’s belated,” said A.J. Castilla, a screener at Boston’s Logan International Airport and a leader with the American Federation of Government Employees Local TSA 1.

“I mean the biggest disappointment and the biggest morale-buster and the biggest fear that every officer in TSA faced every year was this annual [recertification], and knowing that, going in there saying, ‘Gosh, I don’t see any other federal officer having to go through this kind of thing,’ ” Castilla said. “It remains to be seen if TSA can pull it off,” he said.

Castilla said he has faith in his supervisor, but “not everybody is lucky enough to have a supervisor that’s going to do the required paperwork.”

Cris D. Soulia, a screener in San Diego and a union representative echoed Castilla. “My initial reaction is that it’s a good thing. You no longer have that threat of termination over your head. I think we’re the only agency that goes through this thing.”

The new evaluation “raises more questions than it answers,” said another screener, who spoke only on condition of anonymity, calling the TSA a “finely tuned retaliatory machine.”

“What new methodology are they going to apply for firing people now that they’re not going to fire people for tests? What is going to be the next saber of death,” he said.

Recertification changes
Screeners said the annual tests are almost universally disliked and do not reflect real-world conditions. Managers spent valuable time teaching screeners how to pass the test, rather than how to improve job performance, they said.

“TSA is the only agency in the federal system that will fire a trained employee that otherwise has a good work ethic, good attendance, for just failing a test,” one screener said.

Under the old system, screeners were given two or three chances to pass, depending upon the type of test. Some tests were computer-based quizzes; others involved identifying dangerous or suspicious items on monitors similar to those on airport X-ray machines.

Castilla said screeners should get more training of the sort he received last November when explosive experts trained Logan screeners how to identify components of improvised explosive devices, or IEDs.

“This new guy, Kip Hawley, I will admit is moving us in that direction,” he said.

Internal audits have shown that plain-clothed investigators have consistently been able to smuggle guns and knives through airport checkpoints, but investigators say the outlook is likely to improve only when screeners are equipped with more sophisticated technology.

Hawley has sought to professionalize the workforce, renaming screeners “transportation security officers” and encouraging them to spend more time looking for concealed bombs instead of less-threatening small scissors and tools. He is working to create new jobs within the agency, including “behavior detection officers” skilled at identifying suspicious behaviors and “bomb appraisal officers.”

Castilla said he does not believe that the lack of a “failure” option in screener tests will matter. “Whatever the low [score] is, that’s the one that will get you out the door,” he said.

A TSA survey of employees, parts of which were released this week, show job satisfaction has increased since a similar survey in 2004.

According to this year’s survey, 14 percent identified themselves as “very satisfied” with their jobs as opposed to 6 percent in 2004; 45 percent said they were “satisfied,” compared to 29 percent two years ago; 19 percent said “neither satisfied nor dissatisfied,” down from 23 percent. While 14 percent said they were “dissatisfied” in the 2006 survey, 27 percent felt that way two years ago; 9 percent said they were “very dissatisfied” in this year’s survey, compared to 15 percent in 2004.

Clark said the survey was done before the changes to the recertification program were announced.

Security at the New Zealand’s international airports is to be increased over concerns that aircraft may be vulnerable to hijacking or sabotage by airport workers.

Cabinet is to consider a law change that will require some airport workers to be electronically screened before they can access the tarmac. It follows a security standard introduced by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

Minister for Transport Safety, Harry Duynhoven, says aviation security is an important issue and New Zealand needs to meet the new standard.

However, the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union, which represents some airport workers, says those that can access aircraft already have to undergo stringent background checks.

International audit

The standard of New Zealand’s aviation security is also to come under international scrutiny.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation will come to New Zealand in September to carry out its first security audit of this country’s airports and airlines.

An assessment of potential security weaknesses involving the Cook Strait ferry services, is also to be carried out by a special counter-terrorism team set up by the Ministry of Transport.

International standards require ports and ships to undertake security risk assessments, as well as giving police greater powers in the event of a terror attack. The ferries were exempted from the international security standards introduced in 2004.

Key quote “The situation needs looked at very closely. First the protesters are able to cut through the fence, then get into the airport and on to a plane, which sounds very bad indeed. It would be of concern to me if I was a passenger using Prestwick.” - David Capitanchik, a terrorism expert

Story in full
ANTI-WAR protesters broke into Prestwick airport for a third night running, prompting alarm among security experts that aircraft could be vulnerable to terrorists.

Five activists were arrested by police after boarding an aircraft belonging to the US Air National Guard in the latest incident, just before midnight on Monday.

The group from Trident Ploughshares broke through the airport’s perimeter fence and boarded the plane.

The peace group described themselves as “war-crime detectives” and said they were searching for arms being sent to Israel for use in attacks against Lebanon.

A total of 17 people appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court yesterday on charges relating to the three protests.

David Capitanchik, a terrorism expert and former Aberdeen University academic, said the US military would be very concerned at the break-ins, which he said should also worry passengers using the airport.

He said: “Clearly, it’s very embarrassing for the airport, but for this to happen to military aircraft makes it even worse.

“Questions have to be asked about the security of these planes, because the US military should have made sure security was tight. It looks pretty bad from a US point of view.

“The situation needs looked at very closely. First the protesters are able to cut through the fence, then get into the airport and on to a plane, which sounds very bad indeed. It would be of concern to me if I was a passenger using Prestwick.”

According to the protesters, the group managed to search through documentation on the aircraft before attempting to examine another cargo plane.

However, airport security officials said the group had been spotted before they reached the plane and staff were advised by police not to approach the protesters until officers arrived.

The incident came just hours after Strathclyde Police called on Prestwick officials to launch a security review following the previous incidents, which, among other security breaches, saw three protesters manage to board a US military aircraft. One of them reached its cockpit.

A Ploughshares spokesman said of the latest incident: “Inspectors searched a USAF Air National Guard plane and examined documentation and manuals before moving on to attempt to examine a Polar Air aircraft that was also present. The aim is to try to find out what’s going on and highlight Britain’s hypocritical contempt for international law.”

Prestwick airport said that security officers had identified the protesters and monitored them until police arrived.

“Protesters and airport security did board an empty aircraft while being monitored,” said a spokesman.

The spokesman added: “We are satisfied that our security measures are working effectively as these people were identified by our security team and contained until the police arrived. Aviation security is a multi-layered approach.

“These incidents are frustrating, but the airport has been taking a measured and controlled approach commensurate with the threat that these protesters are considered to pose.”

All 17 protesters in court yesterday denied the charges put before them. Two, Sylvia Boyes, 65, and Steven Van Velsen, 25, were detained in custody. The other 15 were released on bail on condition they did not enter or attempt to enter Prestwick airport.

Trials are set to take place on 6 and 11 September and on 20 November.

The incidents follow revelations that Prestwick has been used as a refuelling stop by US flights carrying “hazardous” material to Israel. Two flights carrying missiles to Tel Aviv landed last week at the airport without official approval.

George Bush, the US president, apologised to Tony Blair, but the Prime Minister in turn denied that the UK had acted inappropriately.

Last week, campaigners descended on the airport, demonstrating against the shipments, which they claim are being used indiscriminately in Israel’s war with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Ryanair, which operates the vast majority of passenger flights at Prestwick, said it was happy with security measures if the airport was satisfied.

• The full list of 17 people who appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court yesterday and the charges they face is: Sylvia Boyes, 65, of Keighley, West Yorkshire; Katherine Halcombe, 45, of Evesham, Worcestershire; Rosalind Bullen, 36, of Edinburgh; and Belgian Steven Van Velsen, 25, of the Faslane peace camp in Helensburgh, charged with entering a restricted area at the airport on Sunday.

Richard McKean, 38, of Glasgow; Joseph McLaughlin, 26, of Perth; Ludwig Appeltons, 35, of Govan, Glasgow; Anna Rundberg, 26, of Helensburgh; and Philippa Robertson, 21, of the Faslane peace camp, charged with entering a restricted zone, getting into a C130 US military aircraft without permission, damaging the aircraft and damaging a perimeter fence on Sunday.

Sarah Lazenby, 68, of Oxford; Jean Oliver, 46, and Douglas Shaw, 57, from Biggar in South Lanarkshire; and Matthew Bury, 51, of Somerset, accused of entering a restricted zone on Monday without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

Angela Zelter, 55, of East Runton in Norfolk; Marcus Armstrong, 46, of Milton Keynes; and Christopher Blunel, 25, of Southampton, charged with entering the restricted zone and getting into a C130 US Air Force military craft on Monday without permission.

Olivia Agate, 65, of Menston near Leeds, charged with aiding and abetting four protesters by driving them to the airport on Monday.

An anonymous call that three Malaysian militants were to travel by a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt sent security officials into a tizzy at the airport in Chennai.

The call on Thursday night turned out to be a hoax and the flight took off more than three hours late, airport sources said on Friday.

A Lufthansa airlines official had received the call on an inter-com saying that “militants, all Malaysian nationals”, were about to board the flight, scheduled to leave Chennai at 10.30 pm.

The official immediately informed the airport security officials, who made a thorough check of the passengers, only to find that the persons mentioned by the caller did not exist, they added.