Airport security tightened across the world
Updated
Airports around the world have tightened security monitoring of US-bound air travellers since a Nigerian man allegedly tried to blow up an American airline on Christmas Day.
Presenter: Bo Hill
Speakers: US Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano; Mustafa Kamal, General Manager for Aviation Security at Kuala Lumpur airport
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HILL: It was an attempt at a mid-air attack with enough explosives that reportedly could have blown up the entire jumbo jet.
NAPOLITANO: There was simply, throughout the law enforcement community, never information that would put this individual on a no-fly list or a selectee list.
HILL: That's US Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano. She says information on Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, had not raised any security alarms. The 23-year-old is charged with attempting to blow up a Northwest Airlines plane as it approached Detroit with almost 300 people on board. And the Homeland Security Secretary has praised those passengers and crew for averting a disaster.
NAPOLITANO: The passengers reacted correctly, the crew reacted correctly, within an hour to 90 minutes, all 128 flights in the air had been notified. And those flights already had taken mitigation measures on the off-chance that there was somebody else also flying with some sort of destructive intent.
HILL: That destructive intent has put airport security around the world on alert. All US-bound passengers are being checked more thoroughly, with airlines warning passengers of delays. Most travellers say they accept the new security rules...
VOX POP: I think it's necessary at the moment, the current climate, yeah, definitely. It's worth it, and if people know about it in advance they need to turn up a bit earlier.
HILL: But this passenger has questioned how global air travel security could get any tighter.
VOX POP: The thing about that guy was that it was his leg, how can you prevent that? X-rays? What do you want, everyone having a shower before going to the plane? That's crazy.
HILL: Mustafa Kamal is the general manager for aviation security at Kuala Lumpur airport. He says the Malaysian international airport has adequate security personnel to oversee the estimated 20,000-30,000 bags that pass through every day.
MUSTAFA: We have been in close contact with our friends all over the world, especially with Singapore, even Australian airports. Of course we discuss on aviation security, and liquid, aerosol and gel. Our main concern is liquid, aerosol and gel.
HILL: Mr Mustafa's worked in airport security for nearly three decades, and says airports and airlines are much safer places now.
MUSTAFA: It's much more safer because of the availability of newer technologies and trained airport security personnel all over the world and as a result of the international regulatory requirements all airports all over the world now are more or less implementing same standard of airport security measures, so this makes airport security adequate to meet whatever threat.
HILL: And he says the passengers, and those who look after them, are happy to comply with those requirements.
MUSTAFA: Security is paramount, so we don't have any problem. The clients, the passengers and even our people at the airport they are ready to comply and willingly agree that measures of this sort be implemented.
