Calls grow to axe airport security measures that 'kowtow' to the US

Published on Wednesday 27 October 2010 16:33

SECURITY checks must be made consistent across all UK airports to cut queues and passenger frustration, Scottish travel agents demanded yesterday.

• Measures such as extra bag checks, rules on carrying liquids and new scanning techniques have resulted in long queues for air passengers

The Scottish Passengers Agents Association, which represents most travel agents north of the Border, was backing comments by British Airways chairman Martin Broughton, who said that some checks were "completely redundant".

Mr Broughton said people should not have to take off their shoes and have laptops checked separately in security lines.

He also said the UK should not "kowtow" to demands from the United States for extra security procedures that were not imposed on air passengers travelling within that country.

The US stepped up security measures in January in the wake of an alleged bomb plot, including body pat-down searches and carry-on bag checks, for passengers arriving from 14 nations the US consider a security risk.

Mr Broughton said: "America does not do internally a lot of the things they demand that we do. We shouldn't stand for that. 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 programme which are completely redundant." He said these included the requirement to screen footwear, brought in after British "shoe bomber" Richard Reid hid explosives in his shoes on a transatlantic flight in 2001, as well as an inconsistent approaches to laptops and other equipment.

Mr Broughton said: "Take the iPad, they still haven't decided if it is a laptop or it isn't a laptop. So some airports think you should take it out (of its case for screening separately] and some think you shouldn't." The Scottish Passengers Agents Association said screening must be the same across all UK airports. Its president, Brian Potter, said: "We are completely in agreement with Mr Broughton's comments. The issue for UK airports is one of consistency.

"If this was consistent, it would help speed up queues by passengers knowing what to do as they approached security."

He added passengers were still being caught out by restrictions on carrying liquids in hand luggage, mainly because of incorrect information at airports.

He said: "That annoys the public more than anything - everyone is looking forward to the day when the restriction is lifted."

Scanners which can verify liquids by checking the content of bottles against their barcodes could be introduced next year after being tested at Manchester Airport last year.

Mike Carrivick, chief executive of business group the Board of Airline Representatives in the UK, said: "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. We need to step back and have a look at the whole situation."

However, the Airport Operators Association said such variations assisted in combating terrorism, as it meant no-one knew what to expect from screening.

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said he planned to develop a new system for regulating aviation security.

A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport, said: "There is constructive work being done between the industry and government, and the Department for Transport is working on rationalising the system to enable airports to be more flexible and innovative. "We are committed to ensuring passengers are safe and we also constantly improve the levels of service we offer."