Ground staff responsible for security lapse?

Bangalore: They treated the `small aircraft' in casual way. By the time they realized the gravity of the situation, a crude bomb had rested entire night in the BIA hangar and gone back to Thiruvananthapuram.
Additional commissioner of police (Law and Order) M R Pujar on Wednesday said the ground staff of Kingfisher Airlines had not followed the procedures properly, contrary to their claims. "They seem to have handled the aircraft in casual way. In the first place, it was a small aircraft and since it came late in the evening and was to leave early in the morning, there seems to be indifference on the part of the ground staff, who were supposed to follow many procedures," he said.
Once an aircraft lands, security agents check the entire aircraft and allow the catering team to unload the food trolleys. Next is the turn of cleaners, who clean the entire aircraft. The bomb, which was placed at the `supplementary gallery' should have been identified by either the loaders or the cleaners. They should have brought it to the notice of security agent Suresh Puttasetty, who was on duty at the time.
Even on that Sunday morning, the procedure repeats as the security agent makes a thorough check of the aircraft, before allowing loaders and cleaners. On Sunday morning, another agent, Rineesh Ranjan, was on duty. After him, loaders brought the catering trolley inside, when there was another opportunity to notice it. However, no one cared for the paper ball in the corner and the flight left at 6 am.
25/03/10 Times of India

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Categories: Airports Mar 2010, Kingfisher Mar 2010, Safety Mar 2010