India and US join hands for secure airports
New Delhi: Keeping in view the new emerging threats from terrorists, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security is working on joint training modules with America’s Transport Security Administration.
The two sides recently met in Goa to work out their new training modules for their personnel in aviation sector, behaviour detection, preventing “insider” hand, are some of the anti sabotage areas they are focusing on.
It is learnt the training programmes include higher use of canines, assessing latest threats and using latest technology in dealing with these threats. Based on the training modules of their European and American counterparts, the BCAS has already started doing the background check of all airlines employees working in the sterile area of airports to prevent any “insider” hand in terror attacks at airports and flights. For behavioural analysis and predictive screening, through both softwares and human, will be used.
This will help the security and airlines staff easily pick up signs from suspicious passenger through their behaviour and assess at their own level before making a contact with the passenger. With body scanners in coming days, it is felt that the security personnel can be trained to detect trouble makers at airports and airplane.
Meanwhile, the Director General of Civil Aviation issued advisory to airlines regarding transportation of affected lithium batteries. Passengers cannot carry 15-inch Apple Mac Book Pro (purchased between September 2015 – Feb 2017) as checked-in or hand baggage.
In another development, DGCA suspended license of a SpiceJet pilot for 3 months in connection with a runway incursion at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport on July 5.