Performance Measurement in Development of Airport Security - Assignment Example

Performance Measurement in Development of Airport Security Case study: This research study is based on an examination of Performance management in Libyan airports when compared with Western European airports especially considering Airport Security, Baggage handling, Operations and Performance. Research Aims: To investigate the key elements of security management implemented in Libyan airports and to make recommendations that can be adapted in Libya, to enhance and develop security at airports to comparable standards with the Western European best practices at Airports. The research is aimed towards performance measurement in development of airport security. Objectives: The research objectives are to examine the security and functional strategies at airports in Libya and compare these features with the strategies at Western European Airports such as Airports in Paris or Frankfurt. The comparisons are made between the Libyan airports and the European airports considering functionalities such as operations, settings, baggage handling, security arrangements and performance. Literature Review: The literature review for the thesis would be based on several factors such as context and functions as operations and facilities at arrivals and departures hall, passenger and baggage handling and check in facilities, the facilities available at departure gates and the service given around the airports and also at specific points at the airport. Passenger facilities such as lounge, restaurants, internet, café, shops, cash machine etc. are also reviewed. The review is based on a comparative examination between the facilities available at the Libyan airport and the other international airports such as JFK New York, Charles de Gaulle Paris and Frankfurt International airport. All these airports are characterized by high security and well equipped check in gates with advanced facilities for passenger and baggage check in. The terminals are well connected in most international airports and transport facilities such as taxis and coaches, express trains are easily available. 24 hour fire service personnel are available to avoid any major fire incident at the airport. Main International Terminal – Facilities and Operations The main international airport in Libya is the Tripoli international airport which was initially known as the Tripoli Idris International Airport. It was first used as an airfield during the Second World War but has now been completely renovated to a full and modern national and international airport. The airport houses both national and international terminals and all domestic flights leave from the national terminal and international flights leave from the international terminal. The Buraq Air and Libyan airways conduct regular flight operations from this airport. The city centre of Tripoli is a few miles away and taxis are the most convenient and popular means of commuting although coach services are present as well. The international terminal is capable of handling 3 million passengers annually and is equipped with lounges, restaurant, prayer room, duty free shopping and accommodation for transit passengers. Although domestic departures and arrivals were routed through the same terminal, now the domestic terminal is mainly used by the regional airlines and for short haul flights. Long distance international flights operate from the international terminal. In 2007, the Libyan government revealed its plan to upgrade and expand the Tripoli International Airport so that the international terminal could have two wings and handle up to 20 million passengers (NY times, 2009). The expansion and modernization will help the airport to allow for check in ad other facilities separately for domestic and international passengers with two distinct terminals. The work is being planned in collaboration with French companies, and Contractors in Lebanon, Turkey and Brazil (TAV, 2009; Aconex, 2009). Many major international airlines including Emirates, KLM, Qatar, Lufthansa, British Airways and Alitalia operate from the international terminal. In contrast the Frankfurt International airport in Frankfurt, Germany is the third busiest airport in Europe and serves all major international destinations around the world. Frankfurt international is also the main hub of Lufthansa the German based airline. The airport has two terminals with five concourses and 45 boarding gates (airport technology, 2009). Frankfurt International is well connected with rail service and taxis or coaches are not the essential means of transport and high speed rail also connects to Cologne, Belgium and Amsterdam. After the World War the airport served as an airbase for United States army but full fledged airport operations began from 1955. Since 1972 the airport became a major international hub with the opening of Terminal 1. The Terminal 2 opened in 1994 and the airport can now handle up to 30 million passengers. The main terminal 1 has three levels, the departure level and the check in level, the arrival level with baggage claim areas and the distribution levels with train stations and multi storey parking (Frankfurt airport, 2009). Lufthansa also has a separate first class terminal for its first class passengers equipped with many facilities such as cigar room, valet parking, bubble baths. The airport also has two separate Cargo terminals and a post office and courier facilities. Comparing facilities, arrangements and operations at the Tripoli and Frankfurt international airports, it is seen that Frankfurt international is superior in terms of means of transport to and from the airport as there are well connected bus routes, coaches, train service and long distance rail link and taxi and rental car facilities at the Frankfurt International (directory-airport services, 2006/2007). In case of Tripoli International airport, there is a lack of transport facilities available for passengers and passengers can only reach the city centre of Tripoli by taxi or coach. No long distance train service is directly connected within the airport terminals. Apart from this there are no distinct international and national terminals and the arrival, departure and distribution levels are not as well segmented as in the case of Frankfurt international. In terms of space and capacity to handle passengers, Tripoli just handle 3 million when compared with Frankfurt International airport’s 30 million passengers. In terms of systems and structures, the Tripoli International lacks certain basic infrastructural facilities as there is no separate terminal for first class or business passengers and the baggage claim belts are few and sometimes domestic and international flights may use the same conveyor belts. The terminals and runaways being inadequate the Tripoli international cannot operate too many flights at the same time and this is a setback for the airport as with increased international travel there is also an increase in the need to upgrade airport facilities so that a large number of airline could operate from the airport. As of now only a selected few airlines operate from the Libyan national and international terminals and security facilities may be present but they still need to be upgraded to international standards (Fischer, 2008). Libya – Political, Social and Technological, Environmental considerations Considering that Libya is a developing nation many factors including history and political, socioeconomic, legal and technological factors will have to be considered while determining what are the essential features that need to be transformed or upgraded at the Tripoli international airport, the point of Libya’s connection to the world. Libya gained independence in 1951 and established a Republic of the people. Although sunned for a few years by the international community, all sanctions have now been lifted off Libya. Libya is controlled by a political mix of socialist and Islamic ideals with a strong market economy and the government has been trying to attract foreign investments with special focus on the resources, oil and gas sectors (economist.com, 2009). Foreign companies are exempt from corporation tax although some imported items are subject to taxes. The country faces a strong demand for capital and consumer goods and this is largely fulfilled by imports and its trade mainly derives revenue from oil exports to other western nations (countryreports, 2009). Air and water pollution as also industrial waste and oil by products are some of the environmental concerns in Libya. Due to excessive drilling for oil reserves, there could be soil erosion and other environmental hazards in the region. Libya being a developing country lacks the technological and technical facilities of environmental control and to an extent this could have an impact on the nature of air travel within Libya. The Libyan government should use updated technology to provide for better services at the airports and at the same time also focus on environment friendly plans that could balance global warming and such environmental issues with air pollution, air travel fuel consumption and aviation wastes and fuel by products (countryreports, 2009; economist 2009). A change for the better in global environment should be balanced and complemented by concerns even at the level of air travel and the Libyan government will have to especially emphasize on up gradation of airports keeping in accordance with environmental necessities. Methodology: The methodology for this study will involve data collected from studies on airports across the world and data collected at the Libyan airports on matters related to airport security, baggage handling and logistics, cargo control, check in services and other airport facilities. The differences between airport facilities in Libya and in countries such as Germany and France are then compared considering social, political,, economic and environmental peculiarities. For performance measurement of airport security a questionnaire will be provided to airport security personnel and interview and survey data will be collected from 20 airport security personnel working at the Libyan airport security check units. Performance measurement of airport security - Questionnaire Question 1 – What are the security measures taken at the Libyan airport to ensure safety of passengers? Question 2- How long do passengers wait in the queue on average before they can get through security check? Question 3 – How do the Libyan security check services at airports compare with services at international airports? Question 4 – How long does it take for an average passenger to complete the security check process before proceeding to boarding gates? Question 5 – What are the special security arrangements available at Libyan airport terminals if any? Question 6 – What are the stages of security check for national and international passengers? Question 7 – What are the differences in security checking services offered for national and international passengers? Question 8 - What items are still prohibited and what are the limitations in terms of baggage and equipment that can be carried by passengers? Question 9 – What are special security provisions available to VIP passengers at the airport? Question 10 – What are the problems or issues faced in security checks and what are the typical difficult situations or incidents? Conclusion: Following an analysis of comparative data, a conclusion will be drawn to provide recommendations for the up gradation of Libyan airports. References: CountryReports (2009) Libya Country Information, accessed 2009 www.countryreports.org/country.aspx?countryid=142&countryName=Libya FCO, 2009 Country Profile, Libya accessed 2009 www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/country-profiles/middle-east-north-africa/libya/ Directory of Airport Products and Services 2006/2007 (Key Publishing Limited) Fischer, A. 2008. The Challenge of Screener Training: Is there a uniform approach to the training of airport security screeners? AIRPORTS INTERNATIONAL, VOL 41; NUMB 6, pages 30-31 Frankfurt Airport, accessed May 2009 http://www.airportcity-frankfurt.com/cms/default/rubrik/9/9682.htm Frankfurt International Airport, Airport Technology, accessed May 2009 www.airport-technology.com/projects/frankfurt/ NYTimes Global Economies: Libya, accessed May 2009 www.nytimes.com/ads/global/libya2/five.html OAG Cargo Guide – Worldwide 2007 (OAG Publishing) www.oagcargo.com Tripoli International Airport, accessed May 2009 www.wordtravels.com/Airports/Libya/Tripoli+International+Airport The Economist – Country Briefings, Libya, 2009 www.economist.com/countries/Libya/ TAV Construction – New Tripoli international Terminal, accessed May 2009 www.tavconstruction.com/tav/Projects/Aviation---Airports/Ongoing-Projects/Tripoli-International-Airport-(Libya).aspx Tripoli International Airport – Libya – Aconex, accessed May 2009 www.aconex.com/Clients/Aconex-in-Action/Aconex-in-Action/Tripoli-Airport.html Yates, Chris (1999) Airport security : standards & technology / author, Chris Yates. Coulsdon : Jane’s Information Group, . Read More