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Australia’s major airlines have advised passengers that the federal government’s easing of airport security screening requirements on Thursday evening should result in fewer delays.
“The Australian Government has advised us that the additional aviation security measures implemented at Australia’s major airports last week have been adjusted,” a statement on the Virgin Australia website reads.
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“From tomorrow (Friday 4 August), passengers can return to normal travel times at the airport for check-in.”
Qantas, meanwhile, said “changes are likely to reduce the time it takes to move through the airport, [however] we ask passengers to please ensure they arrive with plenty of time ahead of their flight”.
Increased security screening was introduced at Australia’s airports on the weekend after Australian Federal Police and NSW Police raided homes in Sydney on Saturday after receiving intelligence of a threat to smuggle a home-made explosive device onto an airliner.
On Thursday evening NSW Police announced that two of the four men arrested on Saturday had been formally charged with involvement in a plot to bring down a passenger aircraft (one of the other men was released without charge).
“The threat posed by the recent plot to bring down an aeroplane has been disrupted and contained,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in a statement.
“As a result, the Director-General of Security has lowered the terror threat level posed to Australia’s aviation industry.”
The Prime Minister’s statement also observed that it is “important to note Australia’s aviation security was not compromised at any time during the terrorist plot”.
David
says:I’m not convinced that an announcement like this should be made publicly, as it may incite a potential terrorist to plan and mount a campaign to bring down a plane. The last thing the media should be doing is giving potential terrorists oxygen.
Bill
says:Never a truer statement was made David
Why are there so many no brainers in Public Office ?
The aforesaid ought to be on a need to know basis only, as it is not in Public Interest
I am sure the Government should know better “Cause & Effect” ………
Ben
says:Not all security measures are overt. So just because they announce an apparent reduction in overt measures does not mean they haven’t been replaced by more covert methods.
Richard Bradfield
says:I agree with Ben, of course there are other more covert methods, the government had to say something who wants to wait hours at the airport to go thru security checks. I would help if the airlines enforced the 7kg limit on hand luggage, it seems to me people are taking more and more hand luggage, which all has to checked.
Perhaps ban hand luggage altogether, and then the checked in baggage can be checked more thoroughly out of sight of the public!
David
says:Richard, I did read somewhere that it has been suggested that overhead bins on airlines may be banned, and the only hand luggage allowed on board must fit under the seat in front of you. By totally banning hand luggage altogether, you place people’s lives at risk, as medicines and other essential and needed would be in the cargo hold. Not to mention a child’s small toy, a book, I Pad to name a few small items that should be allowed in the cabin.
Marcus McEwan
says:Hi Richard
I agree on that one. You rarely get a space directly above your assigned seat due to excess carry-on luggage carried by other passengers. A compromise might be to allow up to 2kgs of carry-on and that would cover medicines, kids toys, tablets.