03-16-2018, 07:15 AM
Regional airport security debate heats up - 
Via the Oz:
Airlines oppose tighter security
![[Image: dd661f90af6b866df3dfc371440575a6]](https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/thumbnail/dd661f90af6b866df3dfc371440575a6)
12:00amANNABEL HEPWORTH
Regional airlines have launched a pre-emptive strike over any move to toughen screening at rural and remote airports.
Regional Aviation Association of Australia chief executive Mike Higgins said the effects of a security crackdown would be “keenly felt by relatively few voters in the bush” but would make no initial difference “to the daily lives of millions of city voters, other than some esoteric warm and fuzzy feeling that the government is keeping us all safe”.
Mr Higgins said smaller communities would “lose their air service completely and every regional community that monitors its airline passenger numbers will know who they are”.
His comments come after a slew of state, territory and local governments warned that tougher security at regional airports could see some air services to the bush vanish.
Last year Darren Chester, infrastructure and transport minister at the time, ordered the Inspector of Transport Security to conduct a review into security.
There are suggestions that requirements to screen travellers on aircraft weighing more than 20 tonnes will be extended to all regional public air services.
Mr Higgins said beefed-up screening procedures for passengers and their baggage at regional airports would go beyond the cost of buying hi-tech equipment and systems.
There would need to be “significant” structural alterations and additions to airport terminals, including sterile areas.
“However, that is only half the equation,” he said.
“The ongoing operational costs will easily outweigh the initial purchase and installation costs within a few short years. Further, as technology in this area becomes ever more sophisticated, the systems will undoubtedly require upgrading sooner than we can imagine.”
The office of the Minister for Home Affairs, Peter Dutton, recently said it was “important to balance regulatory costs against maintaining the overall security and sustainability of the aviation network”, and that the government was “mindful of the impacts that security measures have on industry, particularly for regional and remote aviation”.
Debate is also raging about how to finance the cost of any crackdown.
Mr Higgins said the costs of extra measures should be shared equally by every domestic traveller or paid for from the public purse.
The Australian Airports Association has argued for federal government funding, while security expert Geoff Askew has said the costs should be spread across all air passengers.
Regional airlines have launched a pre-emptive strike over any move to toughen screening procedures at rural and remote airports.
Regional Aviation Association of Australia chief executive Mike Higgins said the effects of a security crackdown would be “keenly felt by relatively few voters in the bush” but would make no initial difference “to the daily lives of millions of city voters, other than some esoteric warm and fuzzy feeling that the government is keeping us all safe”.
Mr Higgins said smaller communities would “lose their air service completely and every regional community that monitors its airline passenger numbers will know who they are”.
His comments come after a slew of state, territory and local governments warned that tougher security at regional airports could see some air services to the bush vanish.
Last year Darren Chester, infrastructure and transport minister at the time, ordered the Inspector of Transport Security to conduct a review into security.
There are suggestions that requirements to screen travellers on aircraft weighing more than 20 tonnes will be extended to all regional public air services.
Mr Higgins said beefed-up screening procedures for passengers and their baggage at regional airports would go beyond the cost of buying hi-tech equipment and systems.
There would need to be “significant” structural alterations and additions to airport terminals, including sterile areas.
“However, that is only half the equation,” he said.
“The ongoing operational costs will easily outweigh the initial purchase and installation costs within a few short years. Further, as technology in this area becomes ever more sophisticated, the systems will undoubtedly require upgrading sooner than we can imagine.”
The office of the Minister for Home Affairs, Peter Dutton, recently said it was “important to balance regulatory costs against maintaining the overall security and sustainability of the aviation network”, and that the government was “mindful of the impacts that security measures have on industry, particularly for regional and remote aviation”.
Debate is also raging about how to finance the cost of any crackdown.
Mr Higgins said the costs of extra measures should be shared equally by every domestic traveller or paid for from the public purse.
The Australian Airports Association has argued for federal government funding, while security expert Geoff Askew has said the costs should be spread across all air passengers.
MTF...P2
Via the Oz:
Airlines oppose tighter security
12:00amANNABEL HEPWORTHRegional airlines have launched a pre-emptive strike over any move to toughen screening at rural and remote airports.
Regional Aviation Association of Australia chief executive Mike Higgins said the effects of a security crackdown would be “keenly felt by relatively few voters in the bush” but would make no initial difference “to the daily lives of millions of city voters, other than some esoteric warm and fuzzy feeling that the government is keeping us all safe”.
Mr Higgins said smaller communities would “lose their air service completely and every regional community that monitors its airline passenger numbers will know who they are”.
His comments come after a slew of state, territory and local governments warned that tougher security at regional airports could see some air services to the bush vanish.
Last year Darren Chester, infrastructure and transport minister at the time, ordered the Inspector of Transport Security to conduct a review into security.
There are suggestions that requirements to screen travellers on aircraft weighing more than 20 tonnes will be extended to all regional public air services.
Mr Higgins said beefed-up screening procedures for passengers and their baggage at regional airports would go beyond the cost of buying hi-tech equipment and systems.
There would need to be “significant” structural alterations and additions to airport terminals, including sterile areas.
“However, that is only half the equation,” he said.
“The ongoing operational costs will easily outweigh the initial purchase and installation costs within a few short years. Further, as technology in this area becomes ever more sophisticated, the systems will undoubtedly require upgrading sooner than we can imagine.”
The office of the Minister for Home Affairs, Peter Dutton, recently said it was “important to balance regulatory costs against maintaining the overall security and sustainability of the aviation network”, and that the government was “mindful of the impacts that security measures have on industry, particularly for regional and remote aviation”.
Debate is also raging about how to finance the cost of any crackdown.
Mr Higgins said the costs of extra measures should be shared equally by every domestic traveller or paid for from the public purse.
The Australian Airports Association has argued for federal government funding, while security expert Geoff Askew has said the costs should be spread across all air passengers.
Regional airlines have launched a pre-emptive strike over any move to toughen screening procedures at rural and remote airports.
Regional Aviation Association of Australia chief executive Mike Higgins said the effects of a security crackdown would be “keenly felt by relatively few voters in the bush” but would make no initial difference “to the daily lives of millions of city voters, other than some esoteric warm and fuzzy feeling that the government is keeping us all safe”.
Mr Higgins said smaller communities would “lose their air service completely and every regional community that monitors its airline passenger numbers will know who they are”.
His comments come after a slew of state, territory and local governments warned that tougher security at regional airports could see some air services to the bush vanish.
Last year Darren Chester, infrastructure and transport minister at the time, ordered the Inspector of Transport Security to conduct a review into security.
There are suggestions that requirements to screen travellers on aircraft weighing more than 20 tonnes will be extended to all regional public air services.
Mr Higgins said beefed-up screening procedures for passengers and their baggage at regional airports would go beyond the cost of buying hi-tech equipment and systems.
There would need to be “significant” structural alterations and additions to airport terminals, including sterile areas.
“However, that is only half the equation,” he said.
“The ongoing operational costs will easily outweigh the initial purchase and installation costs within a few short years. Further, as technology in this area becomes ever more sophisticated, the systems will undoubtedly require upgrading sooner than we can imagine.”
The office of the Minister for Home Affairs, Peter Dutton, recently said it was “important to balance regulatory costs against maintaining the overall security and sustainability of the aviation network”, and that the government was “mindful of the impacts that security measures have on industry, particularly for regional and remote aviation”.
Debate is also raging about how to finance the cost of any crackdown.
Mr Higgins said the costs of extra measures should be shared equally by every domestic traveller or paid for from the public purse.
The Australian Airports Association has argued for federal government funding, while security expert Geoff Askew has said the costs should be spread across all air passengers.
MTF...P2