Domestic Australian flights could soon face similar security restrictions to international services in the wake of an alleged terrorist plot to plant a bomb onto an Etihad flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi.
Stricter identity checks are said to be a central part of the security clampdown, which would see travellers required to show photo ID before boarding their flight.
Liquids, aerosols and gels (LAGs) in carry-on luggage for flights within Australia could also face the same limits as for flights overseas.
Also under consideration: allowing only people holding a valid boarding pass past the security gates at domestic airport terminals.
"Aviation security settings are constantly monitored and evaluated by experts in the field who provide advice to the government," federal transport minister Darren Chester told media over the weekend.
"Security measures are kept under constant review to ensure they remain effective and proportionate to the Australian security environment and respond to new and emerging threats.”
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
15 Sep 2012
Total posts 93
Showing photo id will make little difference in preventing terrorism. Just means name on booking matches name on id shown. So we will know the terrorists name earlier after event occurs! Details need to be checked against police/ asio data bases.
08 Aug 2017
Total posts 4
Hyperbole aside, it's ridiculous you can board a plane without showing ID at any stage in the process.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Sep 2012
Total posts 236
I see your points, but perhaps there's an argument that the Virgin check in person would less likely have made that error if they had an ID in front them with your name and photo on it?
29 Jan 2012
Total posts 176
Simple! All travellers will need to have, and have available to them, photo identification to travel, whether it be an updated Medicare Care card with photo or the return to the Australia Card for all residents. This is the way of the future - all others will of course have photo identification from their respective countries ie: passports. Visiting restrictions to the airport when not travelling, many countries already have this process in place - we have simply been fortunate to have had this available until now. Changes we will all need to embrace to keep the skies safe.
02 Dec 2015
Total posts 30
Only allowing people with boarding passes beyond security? Yes that would kill off Qantas and Virgins boarding room hire spaces. Not to mention those who simply want to come and have a coffee with their loved ones before take off.
05 May 2016
Total posts 619
It could be that they have a similar situation to LAX where an airline can issue you a boarding pass to get you access to the terminal so long as you arrange it a sufficient time in advance.
Or we could find a number of sales of cheap fares to those who have no intention of flying but just want to have a coffee past security with those who are travelling.
If they don't get it right initially then we can only hope that things get relaxed a bit later.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1209
This is hardly unique. Already in the US and Schengen Europe, only boarding pass holders can go airside of security. It would affect the retail concessions at domestic airports which, these days, all tend to be airside (except T3 in MEL) but it would greatly reduce security queues as well as enabling greater scrutiny of those going through security.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Jul 2017
Total posts 4
It seems pretty dumb to allow people who are not flying to add to the queues for security. If it reduces the queues for those of us that actually need to fly then I'm all for it
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Dec 2014
Total posts 43
As a plane spotter I'd pay for the cheapest ticket just to get into the Qantas Heritage Collection, then not board my flight.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Sep 2012
Total posts 236
Or perhaps buy a fully flexible refundable business ticket, check in to get through security (and into the business lounge) and then call reservations to change date?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
11 Oct 2014
Total posts 692
Having followed this topic closely in the media, a number of press reports have pointed to a far more critical element of airport operations on which discussion is significantly lacking.
It has been stated that only some 60% of airside staff regularly undergo security checking. If this is true, then one would think that this should be the first security hole to be repaired.
By all means - then - subsequently impose an over-riding rule on the general public to provide ID at check-in. But remember the old adage .. keep your friends close .. and your enemies even closer.
27 Jul 2017
Total posts 19
Your point about screening air side staff is valid, and in my opinion a FAR bigger safeguard than checking passenger ID etc. This is a major hole in security yet for some reason is never addressed.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Aug 2017
Total posts 1
I'm amazed you don't have to show ID. At least the crackdown would stop the scam whereby multiple people book flights at different dates under one person's name to maximise the FF status!
08 Aug 2017
Total posts 4
Come on mate, how many people do you really think would commit a serious fraud like that just for some more status credits? No one would be that stupid.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1027
ID checks do nothing, at all, for security. It is a pointless waste of time to do so. The only reason ID checks are done are for airline revenue protection.
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 377
Liquid's restrictions would be a pain I think. I only ever use carry on when flying domestic, so can't check liquids.
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 730
Having a coffee with someone before takeoff will be very time consuming and very expensive by the time parking is paid for. I can't believe people still do this. I can see the day this will be banned in Domestic.
08 Aug 2017
Total posts 1
what about people who have to drop off kids travelling alone or sending an elderly relative on a flight? Sometimes, you need to make sure your charges get on the plane.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Oct 2013
Total posts 113
coming from europe myself where there is no such thing as non-flyers being allowed past security i still find it very odd that its allowed here - took some time to get used to as well. But surely if security is to be tightened then this practice of allowing whoever wants to go airside through should be stopped - would make getting through security a lot quicker! drive people to the airport - drop them off/ pick them up - but do people really need to go and watch them get on/off the plane itself?
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
14 Mar 2017
Total posts 152
How many terrorist incidents in Australia have been prevented by stricter rules at the terminal vs timely action by our security agencies? I think the answer is "none".
25 Feb 2013
Total posts 62
Personally I would not like to see air travel becoming more dehumanised. I think Australia has it right and the US and Europe have it wrong, TBH. I also think Europe may not be the best example, given most flights have been traditionally international anyway, not truly domestic (yes, yes EU - but it's not the same).
When my family come down to visit or I go up to visit them we quite often use our guest passes to the lounge to hang out (esp. when it's the grandparents for grandchildren or aunties/uncles etc) just before the flight has to depart. It's a nice way to end the visit.
As several have mentioned above, a lot of the restrictions are just ineffective security theatre, and there are real and effective (but "boring" and therefore not politically useful) areas that should be improved (e.g. staff security checks) before tokenistic stuff like liquid restrictions or stopping family having a coffee together before flights should be considered.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jan 2014
Total posts 321
It will render the Qantas meeting rooms useless if you have to hold a boarding pass to get past security, same as half the coffee shops etc inside the terminal, half of them will close.
08 Aug 2017
Total posts 4
You're getting a bit far ahead of things here. The changes haven't even been proposed yet. If they do ultimately become implemented, it is an obvious move for airlines to move some meeting rooms landside, for more amenities to pop-up landside, etc.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
09 Aug 2016
Total posts 38
Only letting those travelling proceed through security sounds like a no brainer on this. Would mean fewer people being screened and less chance of mistakes.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Apr 2012
Total posts 317
But usually the terrorist want to get Onboard an aircraft to do damage in flight, so they would have bought a ticket anyways and have a boarding pass which would allow them through security... doesn't really prevent anything if you only allow those travelling through security.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1027
Terrorists no longer want to get on aircraft. Few even target aircraft anymore, and those that do have not gone through security screening like passengers, they have used airport staff to bypass screening altogether.
What they are targeting, are the soft targets ground side. The masses of people at check in areas or the checkpoint itself.
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Nothing 'extra' the TSA does in the US at the checkpoint, or in many parts of Europe, such as ID checks, shoes off and liquid limits do anything to improve security. If anything, they make everyone LESS safe because the screeners spend all their time looking for things that are NOT threats instead of looking for things that are.
There is a reason TSA has a 95% failure rate.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 462
The recent Sydney EY plot involved someone (allegedly and unwittingly) carrying the device onto the aircraft. So this is still a thing - bringing down an aircraft is a big win in the eyes of the sicko terrorists.
23 Feb 2015
Total posts 262
A work around can be found for the meeting rooms - surely not hard at all and not enough to prevent a change that is intended to improve flyer safety.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1027
The liquids thing is a waste of time and money. There is no reason for such a ban at all.
The so called "plot" that lead to the limits was not in any operational planning stage. The idea of getting a liquid bomb to the airport is laughable. It is simply not possible. Liquid bombs are not stable. Such a device would not make it to the airport without going off on the way. They can't be made at the airport as they require lab condtions to do so.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 462
You are clearly the world's foremost expert on aircraft-related terrorism.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Mar 2012
Total posts 211
surely the issue is what gets on the plane or past security NOT whom. Showing ID doesn't make anyone safer in and of itself. As long as screening is done well it should not be an issue who is at the gate.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 May 2015
Total posts 75
On a recent flight from Gatwick to Madrid I was told I needed to put a 20g sachet of nutella into a clear snap lock bag because it was considered a liquid or gel. And failure to do so could result in a 45 minute wait while I underwent additional screening. My point being that we should start worrying about things that are important - not just smoke and mirrors.
24 Apr 2014
Total posts 271
The more security the better, and the more ID checks too the better. It's never made sense to me that domestic should have less checks than International.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1027
Passport checks for international flights have nothing to do with security. They are for immigration reasons. The airline has to make sure the people they are transporting have the necessary documents to enter the country they are flying to. If they transport someone who does not have the needed paperwork, the airline is liable and will be fined, while also being required to return the passenger home when they are deported.
ID is not security.
24 Apr 2014
Total posts 271
Referring to fluids etc, not immigration and passports.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1027
The checks you suggest don't do anything to improve sercuity. The liquid limits are based on a myth.
15 Sep 2012
Total posts 93
Interesting that most people favour id checks for domestic flights. Seems favoured method is show your driver's license. However nobody - government, airlines, or police, has answered the question of how to do photo id for children, disabled, and elderly who dont drive. Do we have to introduce the Australia Card. Anybody got any suggestions?
25 Feb 2013
Total posts 62
Virgin always ask us to show our Medicare card for our daughter. Serves as both ID for her, but also that she is in fact our daughter
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1027
Suggestions? Not checking ID at all. It isn't needed.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Feb 2017
Total posts 24
Of course ID is needed. If the plane crashes you want to know who's on it. ID is only partially a security measure, there are other valid reasons for ID.
13 Sep 2016
Total posts 177
Not a fan of international-style LAG restrictions as I enjoy bringing back some bottles of Margaret River red each time I visit Perth for work. Also restricting terminal access to actual flyers is going to be a big problem in Sydney as there's not a lot of eating options in the 'public' area of T2 or T3, in fact T2 has everything behind security.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1209
Yes, this is the situation in most domestic terminals around AU except T3 in MEL but it does come back to the fundamental question, what is the purpose of an airport? If it is to be an expensive shopping mall then let everyone airside to spend their money on prices much higher than the nearest shopping mall. If it is to be a safe place where people travel to and from then the answer is to restrict access and maximise security vetting on all those who clear security and and have significant visible security (paramilitary with automatic weapons) in unsecured areas.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 Jul 2017
Total posts 3
It's 2017, surely we should be thinking of moving towards electronic identification that includes the persons biometrics, this would allow the use of biometric scanning to confirm identity. Advantages of this would also be having all travel documentation connected with your electronic ID thus reducing the need for physical documents, passports etc.
Further to this we should also be including full body scan and particle detection for every passenger domestically and internationally.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1209
Full body scans is essential and is typical in airports such as AMS. It is only possible if the number of people clearing security is reduced and that has to be by restricting access to boarding pass holders only.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 Jul 2017
Total posts 3
Completely agree with your sentiments, I also believe this also must tie in with much greater scrutiny of staff, luggage, cargo and security personnel at airports.
In my opinion, Australians are too relaxed about the threat. We should be vigilant, the threat is only growing and will continue to grow in this country and near by region in the future.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1027
Full body scans are pointless. They don't work, are easy to get around (they have large blind spots) and have excessive false positives.
Body scanners just another example of pointless unneeded theater.
09 Aug 2017
Total posts 8
Do you have any evidence for your claim?
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
11 Mar 2015
Total posts 191
stop letting visitors to enter beyond the check in area-all those idiots who can't wait 10 minutes but have to go to the gate to greet whomever they want-they also keeping up real travelling people
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Jun 2015
Total posts 57
NO matter what may happen, non-flyers will always be allowed to go inside the terminal until security. Otherwise who's gonna pay for parking?
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1424
Dear oh dear,
23 Feb 2016
Total posts 33
There is diminishing returns on increasing airport security, even to the point where it can undermine security.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Aug 2017
Total posts 2
The article focuses on passengers, but what about the security of freight, food and other materials entering airports? If airport workers don't need to show ID as suggested above then perhaps this could be looked into?
04 Jun 2017
Total posts 11
I am surprised Australia still allows people airside in a domestic terminal when they are not travelling.
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