Kalam frisking: Continental top brass summoned

Peeved at the US stand that the Indian policy of exempting dignitaries from frisking at airports was not mirrored in its security policy of frisking everyone flying to the US, the civil aviation ministry on Friday summoned the top brass of Continental Airlines. The airline, which had recently asked ex-President A P J Abdul Kalam to take off his shoes and undergo frisking just before boarding a plane to Newark, was asked to get its country’s authorities to reconcile to Indian laws.
According to highly placed sources, officials of the US Transport Security Administration (TSA) — which had on Thursday said that Dr Kalam was required to undergo preboard screening in accordance with TSA regulatory requirements immediately prior to boarding the aircraft — could be in India soon to discuss this issue.
‘‘TSA rules may mandate frisking for all but we also have a list of dignitaries who are exempt from security checks at airports. Now, there seems to be confusion as to whose rules will prevail at the aerobridge of an American plane at an Indian airport? The TSA has officials posted in Singapore and we expect them to be here to sort this issue out in a way that reconciles with requirements of all,’’ said a source. The TSA team would hold talks with their Indian counterpart, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.
25/07/09 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Jul 2009, Foreign Jul 2009