KEY POINTS:
Security at regional airports will be strengthened by training staff to pay close attention to passengers, Transport Minister Annette King said today.
Another measure she announced was that the Civil Aviation Authority has been told to speed up a study on fitting barriers between pilots and passengers on small aircraft.
The moves are the Government's first reaction to the attempted hijacking of a small passenger plane on an Air New Zealand flight between Blenheim and Christchurch on February 8.
It will make decisions about whether more extensive and costly measures are needed after a full review of domestic aviation security, which it will receive in late May.
"Airport, airline and other staff are the `eyes and ears' of the aviation security system and Civil Aviation will immediately look at what needs to be done to ensure uniform and consistent levels of general security awareness," Ms King said.
"The Government constantly reviews aviation security threats, but following the recent events we think it is prudent to conduct a thorough review."
Ms King said an important issue raised in the report prepared by the Civil Aviation Authority, the Police and Aviation Security was that on-line booking and ticket machines at small airports meant there was "quite minimal" contact with airline and ground staff.
"What's been suggested is that there be further training and heightened awareness of ground staff at the gates so they are actually taking a closer look at passengers boarding planes," she said.
"That point of contact is really important. With training, they could be much more alert about passengers entering aircraft."
Ms King said there were problems with fitting flight deck barriers in small planes that carried 19 passengers or less, because there were no cabin staff and the pilots had to see what the passengers were doing.
"Just closing the door with no staff is not an option," she said.
"Part of the feasibility study will be what sort of barrier passengers couldn't get through."
Aircraft with 20 or more passengers have cabin staff.
Ms King said the Government was aware of the need to carefully consider any further measures which would impact on airports and passengers.
"We take airport security very seriously...but we're mindful we ought not to over-react," she said.
"We need to be very certain about what we're doing. Airport security is paid for by the user, it's paid for on the tickets."
Ms King said the risk of a terrorist attack was considered to be "very low indeed" and the risk profile for "opportunistic episodes" like the one on the Blenheim to Christchurch flight had not been changed as a result of the attempted hijacking.
The report that ministers have studied set out a range of options and their estimated costs.
Screening most passengers and luggage with electronic wands on aircraft with between 19 and 89 seats was estimated at $8 million this financial year, rising to $13 million in 2010/11.
Using walk-through metal detectors and x-ray machines like those used for planes with 90 seats or more would cost an estimated $18 million by 2010/11.
Earlier today National's transport spokesman, Maurice Williamson, told NZPA the Government should be cautious about introducing costly security measures.
He said there should be "safety at reasonable cost" and ministers should not over-react.
The attempted hijacking of the flight between Blenheim and Christchurch resulted in the arrest of 33-year-old Asha Abdille.
She appeared in Christchurch District Court on Friday on 11 new charges relating to the incident, including threatening to kill, possessing an offensive weapon, and taking a dangerous weapon on an aircraft.
She was previously charged with hijacking the aircraft and injuring the pilots and a passenger.
The flight landed safely.
- NZPA
