Airports put on maximum alert

New Delhi: In the wake of Friday’s bid by a Nigerian to blow up a Detroit-bound Northwest Airlines flight and due to the holiday and festival season, all international and domestic airports in India are in a state of “maximum security alert,” according to senior officials of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for security at all airports.
The state of “maximum alert” was sounded more than a week ago and it has been continuing since then. Extra security measures were in place for U.S.-bound flights. Ladder-point checks of passengers and hand baggage were being done by respective airlines, the officials said.
Officials of the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the authorities were keeping a close watch on security and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) was reviewing the existing measures.
Air India, which operates four daily flights to the U.S. (of which two are direct, non-stop services), was adhering to a strict security schedule.
Jitender Bhargava, who heads the corporate communication wing of the airline, said security regulations at the last point of embarkation were being enforced strictly for all international flights.
“In the case of the U.S. bound flights, the last points of embarkation for direct flights are Delhi and Mumbai and for other flights it is Frankfurt. All security regulations are being strictly enforced by us. We have additional personnel dedicated to security duties and stringent regulations. We not only manage our own security but also provide service to other carriers,” Mr. Bhargava told The Hindu here on Monday.
Curbs overseas
29/12/09 Vinay Kumar/The Hindu

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Categories: Airports Dec 2009, Safety Dec 2009