British Airways calls for change in US security checks
Change may be on the way for security checks at British airports after senior figures in the airline industry backed a British Airways attack on measures imposed by the US.
BA chairman Martin Broughton, quoted by the BBC, said many of the checks were “completely redundant”.
The UK government transport secretary said airlines would be allowed to look at ways of “easing the passenger experience”.
Broughton had criticised the US for imposing increased checks on US-bound flights but not on its own domestic services, saying the UK should stop “kowtowing” to US security demands.
He said practices such as forcing passengers to take off their shoes should be abandoned, and questioned why laptop computers needed to be screened separately.
Responding to the BA chairman’s comments, former head of policy at the US Department of Homeland Security, Stewart Baker, said practices such as taking shoes off and limiting the amount of liquids taken on board were in place on domestic flights in the US.
Chris Yates, air security analyst at Jane’s Information Group, said while a lot of measures were in place they were not applied consistently in all US airports.
The US stepped up security in January in the wake of an alleged bomb plot.
It introduced tougher screening rules, including body pat-down searches and carry-on baggage checks, for passengers arriving from 14 nations which the authorities deem to be a security risk.
Passengers from any foreign country may also be checked at random.
Ian Jarrett
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