Thread: US orders body searches after botched airline attack

Top: Aircraft cabin crew grapple with the suspected bomber. Bottom: The Northwest Airlines plane is pulled towards the terminal at Detroit airport after the incident. Photo: AP, CNN

Australians travelling to the United States should arrive at the airport one hour early to allow for body searches introduced in the wake of an airline bomb scare on Christmas Day.


New security measures introduced by the US Transport Security Administration for all flights into the US include pat-down searches at the airport gate, physical inspection of all bags and requiring passengers to stay in their seats without access to any personal items or overhead lockers for the final hour before landing.


"It's important that travellers travelling to the US get to the airport one hour earlier than they would otherwise," Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said today.


The restrictions will be reassessed by US authorities before they expire on Wednesday.
Mr Albanese said he was confident about Australia's "world class" aviation security arrangements following the US terror scare, but said the Government was not ruling out further restrictions, subject to advice from security agencies.


On Friday, Nigerian man Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, tried to ignite an explosive device in the final hour of a Northwest flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. He reportedly told authorities he had followed al-Qaeda orders.
"We're very confident about the regime that we have in place, but we are ever vigilant," Mr Albanese said.


"We will examine facts surrounding this incident and we will make any changes that are required by the security agencies.


"It is important that we respond in an objective way, rather than an emotional way."


With the UK considering introducing full body scans, Mr Albanese said the Government was not ruling out any extra security measures, subject to advice by security agencies.


"Aviation security isn't an issue which has an end point. It is an issue which requires constant vigilance and constant preparedness on behalf of the Government to implement policy changes. This Government stands prepared to do just that," he said.


Qantas government and corporate affairs executive David Epstein said there had been no flight cancellations as a result of new security measures.


He said the airline was not anticipating any delays to US-bound flights over the coming days as extra security staff were put on at Sydney and Melbourne airports, where most US-bound flights originate.


"Our overall advice for people travelling to the US is don't change your travel plans," Mr Epstein said.


"Everything is in hand as far as security arrangements go.


"If people arrive early and are prepared to be a bit understanding, I think we can work through this."

Just don't fly!!

Iconoclast