Extra air security may cost travellers

Up to 14 airports could see additional domestic screening introduced. Photo / Supplied

Domestic air travellers could face higher ticket costs if proposed improved security screening measures at airports are introduced.

An aviation security review, ordered by the previous Labour-led Government, found screening passengers, crew and carry-on baggage was the only effective way to stop weapons being brought on board aircraft.

The review, which began after the alleged attempted hijacking of an Eagle Air plane by Asha Abdille last February, also found 57 per cent of all domestic passengers were screened.

It identified the high risk associated with unscreened passengers and carry-on baggage on domestic flights with fewer than 90 passenger seats.

While screening at smaller airports would be "prohibitively expensive", up to 14 airports could see additional domestic screening introduced.

The Aviation Security Service charges airlines per departing passenger per sector for the passengers it screens. Airlines recover this cost, which if the changes are passed could be between $4.88 and $5.41, from passengers.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce was yesterday noncommittal on whether he supported the changes.

"It's a tricky one ... on the one hand we always want to make things as safe and secure as we can, bearing in mind there's no risk-free way to travel," he said.

Mr Joyce said there was a low threat of terrorism and a medium threat from "acutely disaffected people".

"Given our history, there's a reasonably low likelihood of something happening but the consequences if it does happen could be quite severe."

But New Zealand Airports chief executive Kevin Ward was concerned there was no real certainty about the underlying risk.

"They said the terrorism risk is very low which matches our assessment."

He said the infrastructure implications for nervous airport operators could see costs running into millions "and in some cases, tens of millions of dollars".

Mr Ward feared there would also be "quite an impact" on the bigger airports.

He said airports would probably have to extend security measures to a wider range of aircraft requiring fenced, secure areas to keep screened and unscreened passengers apart.

Others would require more aviation security checkpoints and x-ray machines for passengers and baggage.

Ray Dumble, chief executive of Tauranga Airport Authority, was another who was concerned the Government could be "using a boulder to crush an ant".

"To me the action is potentially disproportionate to the actual problem. But, like anything, it's a business cost which will be passed on ... in the end it will be the poor old passenger who pays."

A spokeswoman for Air New Zealand declined to comment saying the airline was reviewing the aviation security document.

Mr Joyce expected the Cabinet to make decisions next month.

AIRPORT WATCH

* 57 per cent of all passengers on domestic flights on aircraft with over 90 seats are screened.
* Australia and Canada screen 96 and 99 per cent of their passengers respectively.
* Aviation security service currently charges $4.66 (incl GST) per departing passenger. Airlines pass this cost on to passengers in the ticket price.