Aviation security

There are over 50 airlines in the UK, with over 100,000 people employed in air transport jobs, and many more in aviation-related employment. This figure is set to rise as more and more people and a greater amount of freight move by air, despite reaction to 9/11. Over 2 million aircraft fly through the UK’s airspace every year, carrying 160 million passengers, and the best part of £100 billion worth of trade passes through Britain’s airports every year. The British Airports Authority (BAA) owns seven UK airports and operates at nine others around the world, including Heathrow.

Annex 17 of the Chicago Convention is the internationally agreed document that deals with aviation security to which the UK is a signatory. The UK is also a very prominent member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), with its recommendations incorporated in national regulations. Regulation (EC) No 2320/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishes common rules in the field of civil aviation security.

Heathrow airport alone generates £3 billion in wages each year, supporting over 250,000 jobs across the country. It handles about 65 million passengers, with more than 90 airlines serving 200 worldwide destinations on 1250 flights each day; and shifting 75 million items of baggage a year.

These statistics provide some idea of the scale of the industry and the problems facing security staff. The latter deal with air rage, drunkenness, assault, smuggling and crime, as well as the threat of international terrorism – highlighted since the events of 9/11. Other security concerns include stowaways, espionage, human trafficking, illegal immigration, theft, sabotage, hijack and environmental protest. Heightened security, including the deployment of sky marshals, has made headlines ever since.

The threat posed by knives and other relatively unsophisticated weapons surprised some people, and it has most certainly increased the number of potentially lethal items being impounded at airports. Other methods suggested to tighten security, which have been implemented in some cases, include passenger profiling, intensive security staff screening and training, personal and baggage searches, and military and police deployments. The dangers of missile attack have not been discussed, although thousands of such weapons have been found in Afghanistan.

The primary objective of aviation security is ‘to safeguard passengers, crew, ground personnel and the general public against acts of unlawful interference perpetrated in flight or within the confines of an airport. Aviation security also seeks to protect aircraft and facilities serving civil aviation, such as fuel, catering, air navigation facilities and the premises of listed cargo agents against acts of unlawful interference.’ Aviation security officers are employed to ‘prevent unlawful interference against civil aviation’.

In practice this breaks down into two broad responsibilities: to detect unauthorised weapons, explosives and incendiary materials, and to prevent these being carried onboard an aircraft or into a restricted zone.

As well as key attributes for any security officer, the most significant difference between domestic security and aviation security is the use of technologies that support the underpinning knowledge, like X-ray machines, explosive detection techniques, image capture capabilities, biometrics and a host of others.

An airport will have a security group including police, Special Branch, Customs & Excise, Immigration, Department for Transport (DfT) Aviation Security Inspectors and the aviation industry. It will agree processes to identify security and criminal risks, and the roles and responsibilities of the different agencies. The security plan will be jointly owned and routinely revisited to take into account future developments. All cargo must be screened to ensure that it does not carry prohibited articles. This process involves a number of techniques, which must be carried out by an independent validator.

Aviation security in the Services

The Royal Air Force specialises in passenger and cargo aviation, and the accompanying rigorous security. Most Service people spend a great deal of their lives thinking about, planning and implementing security in a variety of environments, and so have a great deal of experience in this field. Part of basic and more advanced training in some parts of the Forces is the accumulation of units leading to Security National and Scottish Vocational Qualifications.

The personal qualities for which people are selected, and which are then developed during military training, are also highly relevant, and most Service people will possess many of the skills that security employers look for. They should be physically fit and able to patrol an area, taking note of what they see and writing a report. The ability to work as part of a team is critical, as is common sense, integrity and courage. They should be able to react to the unexpected, as well as being self-reliant and self-confident.

Training

Aviation security training is generally divided into a number of levels. All students should be subject to criminal record and counter-terrorist checks. Although precise details of programmes vary between different training providers, these levels and the course content are generally as described in the following paragraphs.

Level 1 Security Screeners provides a detailed programme covering all aspects of the security screening process and access control as required by national and regional specifications. Course duration would be around 15 working days and usually hosted on-site with access to the relevant screening equipment. The course would be taken by screeners and supervisors. It should cover such subjects as:

· threat to aviation

· organisation of countermeasures

· security programmes

· physical screening options

· introduction to physical screening of passengers, and metal detectors

· introduction to improvised incendiary devices, improvised explosive devices, explosives recognition and detonator recognition

· recognition of firearms and ammunition, including revolvers and semi-automatic pistols and component parts

· improvised pistols, one-shot and fully automatic weapons

· bladed weapons

· introduction to X-ray theory and image recognition

· X-ray operator interfaces, health & safety

· introduction to cabin baggage

· baggage search theory

· prohibited items and confiscation procedures

· dangerous goods and international requirements

· boarding cards and tickets

· passenger screening and observing body language

· security awareness and dealing with incidents.

· lifting techniques, health & safety

· special needs passengers

· unattended bags

· use of radio equipment and secure procedures

· access control principles and systems

· vehicle search

· closed-circuit TV function and operation

· surveillance equipment and night vision

· report writing.

Level 2 Security Supervisors supervise the screening and access control operation. They must first qualify at level 1. The course should last two to three days and cover:

· role of the supervisor in maintaining standards, and key responsibilities

· equipment performance and testing procedures for metal detectors and X-ray machines

· dealing with customer objections to screening, and conflict avoidance

· reporting procedures and requirements

· managing screener performance

· emergency procedures to deal with weapons and devices

· cabin baggage systems and management information.

Level 3 Managers should be a one-week in-depth programme covering many aspects of aviation security management. It should deal with:

· threats to civil aviation, and countermeasure philosophy

· role of police

· role of explosive ordnance device teams

· weapons and explosives recognition requirements

· physical screening techniques

· role of technology

· national and regional programmes and requirements

· contingency planning

· airline security programmes

· hijack management and crew response

· perimeter protection

· intruder detection

· hold baggage screening

· airport security planning.

Level 4 Security Awareness is suggested as a four-hour programme, including:

· threat to aviation

· your part in securing the airport

· pass system and audit procedures

· dealing with security situations

· evacuation in the case of security alerts.

Level 5 Senior Managers is another four-hour programme, covering:

· threat review and current update

· organisation of countermeasures, national and regional responsibilities

· review of regional programmes and training courses

· evacuation procedures and role of explosive ordnance device teams.

Level 6 Hold Baggage Screening Operators will probably take five to seven days for people already qualified at level 1, and ten days for complete novices. The exact programme will depend on the screening equipment in use, previous training and levels of X-ray experience.

Level 7 Security Instructors should be tailored to enable instructors to work with training managers to establish their own training programmes. Instructors should have attended all levels of training.

Other training should include emergency procedures and annual refresher courses.

Employment

Most airports have their own recruitment systems, and applications should be made direct to the relevant airport or security organisation. Pay scales range from £14,000 to £30,000 per annum, depending on line management responsibility. Promotion is usually through internal progression but there are exceptions to this rule. Roster or shift patterns depend on passenger throughput and type of airline.