Weaknesses of Airport Security - Essay Example

Airport Security Airport Security Introduction Airports are among the busiest transport centers within the modern day economy with more people being able to afford to fly. As such, this congestion of people at the airports creates a suitable ground for criminal activities such as terrorism, drug trafficking, hijacking of planes, as well as unlawful immigration. Consequently, the concerned authorities need to set up adequate measures to control such scenes of insecurity from occurring at the airports. Airport security therefore refers to the different methods and techniques employed by airport officials and administrators to ensure the protection of the passengers using these airports, the airport staff and flight attendants, as well as the aircrafts and planes that land and take off from these airports. The above-mentioned parameters need protection from any accidental or malicious harm, crime, or any other form of threat that may occur within the airport’s grounds (Brown, 2011). The large volumes of people that pass through airports on a daily basis make them as potential targets for terror and other criminal activities. In a similar regard, this high concentration of people at airports, such as from large airliners, creates a potential for high death rates in the event of an attack on the aircraft. For instance, the ability of using a hijacked airplane as a lethal weapon provides an alluring target for terrorism such as the 9/11 terror attacks on Twin Towers by Al Qaeda terrorists using hijacked planes. Therefore, the key mandate of airport security is to prevent these threats from becoming a reality. Furthermore, airports act as entry points into and out of a particular country. As such, illegal immigrants, criminals and even terrorists can come in through these gateways unless prevented by advent measures placed by airport security officials. The airport security team has to prevent any harm to the passengers, the aircraft, the crew, as well as support counter terrorism and national security policies (Elias, 2009) Predicted Weaknesses within the Airport Security As mentioned above, airports usually have a huge traffic of people moving in and about throughout the day thereby making them very potential targets for terrorism and other related crime. These posses a great risk not only to the airport, but also to the people using these airports, as well as the entire country at large. Airports play an imperative role in the running of every economy since they facilitate the smooth movement of goods and services necessary to fuel business activities within an economy. If such circulation of work force and resources were cut short due to an issue arising at the airport, it would literally cripple the economy of that region (Rodriguez, 2007). Some of the potential threats that take place at airports include terrorism, general crime, entry and exit of unauthorized persons, spread in infectious diseases, as well as tax evasion. Terrorists tend to use airports to carry out their terror activities because of the high concentration of people at these centers. For instance, a terror gang can hijack a large passenger aircraft and threaten to crash land it, explode it, or go ahead and use the plane as a lethal weapon in order to pass across a statement they believe in, or demand something from another nation. During the 9/11 terror attacks, Al Qaeda terrorists hijacked four different planes within American airports and used them as lethal weapons for their terror attacks, attacking The World Trade Center, and The Pentagon simultaneously (Sweet, 2008). Apart from hijacking planes and aircraft at these airports, the terror gangs can equally set up bombs and explosives at these airports, and if they explode, they bring about a total standstill to the entire operations of the airport’s business. A bomb or an explosive planted at the airport threatens to kill all the people using these airports, as well as destroying the property at these airports. Furthermore, as an entry point into the country, terrorists can also use these airports to smuggle into the country explosives and other material used in developing bombs (Zellan, 2003). Criminals also use airports to carry out their business. Many are the reported cases of drug traffickers captured with drugs at different airports in the world. As points of entry and exit into a country, drug barons use airports as trafficking centers to move drugs into and out of the country. In fact, some of them even chatter private jets to carry out their illegal business without any interference with the security officials. On the other hand, those who are not able to afford private jets prefer to use themselves as vessels of drug trafficking, such as swallowing the drugs and carrying them through their systems, or fixing them in their bodies in order to avoid detection from security scanners, such as hiding them in the anus (Brown, 2011). As an entry and exist point into and out of a particular country, airports pose an equally great risk to the security system of the entire country. Without appropriate screening and checking, these airports can facilitate entry of a renowned criminal, a warlord, or a rogue politician on the run without capturing him or her. Similarly, these airports can also facilitate entry of illegal immigrants into the country. In the same regard, criminals running away from the law in their own country also use these airports as exit points to flee to other countries instead so that they do not answer for their crimes. Airport security has to liaise with homeland security to ensure such criminals do not leave or enter the country without prior authorization. Some criminals also use airports for tax evasion whereby they use these airports as points of entry and exit to import or export their goods and services without paying the necessary taxes. Recently when the Ebola epidemic was ravaging major parts of West African countries, airports played a critical role in spreading the disease to other parts of the world. This is just a case scenario of how inappropriate security measures at airports can put the entire country at health risks. Passengers travelling from Ebola stricken countries were used as carries of the virus to other parts of the world, thereby making the disease a global epidemic (Elias, 2009). Security Survey Process In most security installations at the airport, there are rules and regulations that govern airport users on their preferred mode of using these facilities. These security installations and procedures are in place to enable appropriate management of airport security, as well as thwart any attempt on insecurity, terrorism and health risks. These rules are first imposed on the users of these facilities, especially the passengers who use air transport from time to time, and range from the type of items they are permitted to carry to the airports, to the security checks and screening before being allowed to board a plane (Rodriguez, 2007). A passenger must have a flight ticket, a valid passport, and a visa to his or her destination before boarding a plane. All these documents need to be authentic and procured through the legal means. As such, this will enable airport officials operating security to ensure that only the legal people are allowed to use these airports, thereby keeping criminals and other hoodlums at bay. Furthermore, airport officials also get to seize terrorists and other suspected criminals at these airport checkpoints in the event their passport identification appears on their scanners. As for the goods that passengers carry along, airport security officials ensure that passengers do not carry along items that are a threat to the security of the airline, or other passengers while on plane. For instance, a passenger with a licensed firearm cannot carry it through an airport and board with it a plane. This is to eliminate the risk of such a passenger using such a firearm to hijack the plane while it is in the air. Therefore, before a passenger boards a plane, he or she must provide the acceptable and authentic identification at the checkpoint, and only carry the permitted items. Carrying of any illegal or prohibited products will deny such a passenger an opportunity to use the airport, such as a drug dealer, caught trafficking drugs through the airport will not be allowed to proceed with his or her journey. Apart from screening passengers and other users of the airport at every checkpoint to ensure that they are no criminals or terrorists, or illegal immigrants going through the airport, the security installations also have other facilities that facilitate efficient maintenance of airport security, such as 24 hours surveillance cameras mounted on every spot within the airport. These surveillance cameras are to look out for criminal activities, or other things happening within the airport that are out of the ordinary and possibly pose a security threat to the airport and other users (Sweet, 2008). Airports are also export and import points. As such, the officials have to ensure no illegal substances are smuggled into or out of the country, such as drugs, explosives, and other terror material. In fact, most airports have canine sniffers trained with expertise to sniff out drugs and other illegal material. In addition, most airports have upgraded security scanners that are able to monitor products wrapped inside a package going through the airport. Airports have also installed radioactive scanners that are able to detect explosives and other material used by terrorists to manufacture bombs and other nuclear weapons. As for the case of the health risks and other exposures arising from people using airports as entry and exit points, it is imperative to not that most airports have qualified health officials at the airport grounds. The health officials who liaise with the department of health to ensure the health of all the passengers using the airport, as well as for the entire country at large, such as was the case with the global Ebola epidemic that emerged from West Africa. Conclusions and Recommendations In conclusion, it is imperative for all concerned officials to consider appropriate management of airport security in order to eliminate any possibility of harm or threat on the users of the airport such as the passengers, staff and crew of aircrafts, airport officials and staff, as well as the aircrafts landing and taking off at these airports. This will ensure safety of all users of these airports, as well as ensure a smooth flow of economic activities within the country or region within which the airport operates. A smooth operating airport ensures a thriving or booming economy for the entire region or country as it enables swift movement of goods and services needed for business activities. References Brown, D. (2011). Full Body Scam: The Naked View of Current Airport Security. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Elias, B. (2009). Airport and Aviation Security: U.S. Policy and Strategy in the Age of Global Terrorism. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Rodriguez, B. (2007). Perception towards Airport Security As It Relates To Terrorism: An Analysis of Criminology/Criminal Justice Majors and Non-Majors. An Abhor: ProQuest. Sweet, K. (2008). Aviation and Airport Security: Terrorism and Safety Concerns, Second Edition. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Zellan, J. (2003). Aviation Security: Current Issues and Developments. New York: Nova Publishers. Read More