Charting the cost of security at airports

Here is an interesting number illustrating the growing burden of the cost of increased security on the air transport sector which came out during ACI Europe's economics and finance conference being held in London. ACI Europe director general Olivier Jankovec says that security comprised around 5-8% of European airport operating costs prior to the 9/11 terror attacks. Today it stands at 29%, and around 41% of airport personnel are security staff. This not only illustrates the changed world over the last decade, but also the additional cost burden to the European air transport sector. 

Security remains a key issue for airports, especially with the first phase of Europe's planned lifting of the current ban on the carrying of liquids in hand luggage - aimed at stopping liquids bought at an airport outside of Europe from being confiscated while passengers transit through a European airport - due to enter force on 29 April (this is the first step to lifting the ban completely by April 2013).

But concerns have been raised by the industry, led by airport groups, in both Europe and North America that the necessary technology required to carry out the scanning is not ready or adequately tested yet.

Read more about the liquids debate here.

European airports baulk at easing ban on liquids

US airports oppose EU plans to lift liquids ban

End of EU airport liquid ban on track

On the wider issue of security at airports, Jankovec also suggests less preditability in security checks might be an option.

"Today you more or less know what are going to be the checks [at the airport]," he says. "We would like to see a system where the checks are more unpredictable."