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Future airport security planning required NOW

Some of Britain's airports, notably Heathrow, require major changes to their contingency plans if they are to handle similar increased security measures in the future. NOW is the time to start deciding on those changes.

In the light of the last seven days, airlines, and their passengers, are particularly concerned that:

• airport terminal layouts cannot cope with the volumes of passengers, so that they are required to queue outside in all weathers.
• baggage systems cannot cope with the extra amount of hold luggage that is required.
• a pool of additional trained staff for search and security is not available.

The results at Heathrow, the main base for most of BAR UK's member airlines, have been well-documented, including hundreds of cancelled flights, tens of thousands of disrupted and stranded passengers, several thousands of mislaid bags, aircraft and crews out of position, and millions of pounds of lost revenue and passenger care costs.

Mike Carrivick, Chief Executive of BAR UK said 'A similar situation cannot, and must not, be entertained for the future. Airport security measures will be challenged again in the future, and the airports must be capable of facing them.'

''In the same way that airlines invest in their own contingency plans, at a considerable cost, so we now call on airports, BAA in particular, strengthen their plans.

'BAR UK will be pleased to contribute ideas that may help airports revise their plans. However, a special acknowledgement must be made to Manchester Airport, who engaged with the airlines in an extremely positive and productive manner'.

Congratulations are also extended to Transec (the DfT's Transport Security and Contingencies Directorate) who have kept us, and our members, informed of events on a regular basis.

For editors:
BAR UK represents 91 scheduled airlines in the UK in their dealings with Government, Government departments, regulators and airport operators. Full details of its work can be found on www.bar-uk.org

For further information contact: Mike Carrivick, Chief Executive BAR UK
Email: mike.carrivick@bar-uk.org
Tel: 020 7393 1261   Fax: 020 7393 1206   Mobile: 07747 612840