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Aviation History
1988
1988 - 1361.PDF
the US Federal Aviation Administration, which advised the US Government to drop its "travel advisory". Indeed, the Athens airport authorities are now in regular contact with the FAA, because, as deputy airport commander Nick Kavadas says: "US airlines are the primary target for terrorism in this pan of the world, so we work very closely with the FAA". Athens Airport, which was previously known as Hellinikon, was opened in 1948, and is situated on a narrow strip of land between a range of hills and the sea, approx imately four miles south of the city centre. It includes a military base, a West Terminal, which is used solely by Olympic Airways, and a newer (1969) East Terminal, which is used by all the other carriers, and which houses the airport management and airline offices. Its perimeter fence is approximately 7km long, and at one point runs very close to adjoining houses. In the April 1985 incident involving the Royal Jordanian 727, a terrorist scaled the fence between the thresholds of runways 33 left and right before firing the shoulder-mounted missile at the aircraft. One of the first projects undertaken after Iata's 1985 visit was the rebuilding of the perimeter fence to Icao standards, with elevated guard posts overlooking the apron at regular intervals, and manned by armed police officers 24hr a day. Airport security supervisor John Fotopoulos says: "We are very serious and very concerned about the dangers of terrorist actions against civil aviation and aircraft generally, and we try all the necessary measures to protect them". Outside the terminal buildings, armoured cars equipped with heavy machine guns constantly patrol the access roads and apron, and one stands on the pavement outside the main door to the East Terminal departure area. Inside, groups of armed police officers monitor the concourse and departure lounge, and they are augmented by plain- clothed officers mingling with the passengers. There are also closed-circuit television cameras. Fotopoulos says that there are up to 1,000 officers assigned to airport security, working in shifts, and they are supported by a "special security force" which can be mobilised in emergencies. At the entrance to the airport management and airline offices, visitors pass through an electronic screening process, and hand luggage is x-rayed. Security officer Emmanoyel Moschoulis says: "We have established these machines to protect the offices of the airlines and the airport manage ment and other public services." In addition to standard passenger screen ing at the entrance to the departure lounge, the airport authorities provide airlines with extra equipment to make their own second ary checks at the departure gates. Fotopoulos says: "A great number of companies make two checks of passengers and hand luggage—one check at the entrance from the police and another check by the companies at the gates. The equipment belongs to the civil aviation authority and, at the moment at least, it is free of charge to the companies that use it." Airlines are also free to carry out additional security measures, such as ensuring that passengers personally identify pieces of checked baggage on the apron before boarding the aircraft (a procedure experienced first-hand by Flight when boarding a JAT Boeing 737 bound for Belgrade). Fotopoulos adds: "The passengers go to the aircraft in buses, not by walking, so there is no chance for anybody to give them something on the way; or, at least, it's very difficult". The latest development is the addition of a new x-ray machine through which any baggage being transferred from one aircraft to another is passed. All passengers meeting connecting flights at Athens already pass through a full screening procedure before entering the transit area, and now all their baggage is also screened. Other measures include the use of trained "sniffer dogs" to detect explosives, of which Moschoulis says: "If we have any information about a threat, we can detect explosives very quickly, so we don't have to delay aircraft". He adds: "We also have identity cards for all the people working in the airport, and these are given by the civil aviation security office with special restrictions for the area where each person may enter and move. The same thing happens with all the cars. We also hold semi nars and training programmes for the police men and training programmes for the people at the airport to teach them about security, and we have also closed the observation deck on top of the terminal to restrict the view of the apron and the aircraft." lata conducted a follow-up review in December 1986 and pronounced itself satis fied with the upgraded security procedures, and since then it is believed that the airport has remained incident-free. Iata's Rodney Wallis says: "One is never fully happy with any airport, whether it's Heathrow or Gatwick or wherever it may be, but what we are satisfied with is the clear commitment which the Greek authorities are giving to aviation security. Athens is such an important airport that it is included in our regular review of Middle Eastern airports which we conduct every year, and we have to make it clear that there is absolute co operation between the Greek Civil Aviation Authority and ourselves in this area." He adds: "If there was to be an incident at Athens, and there is always the possibility of an incident anywhere, it would not be through a lack of commitment or effort on the part of the Greek authorities". Nick Kavadas adds: "Terrorism is becoming more and more sophisticated, so we must become more sophisticated to beat it. Now they work in organised teams, so you don't have just one man with a gun, like in the good old days. We must always be on our guard." Q Athens Airport. The perimeter fence has been rebuilt to Icao standards, with elevated guard posts overlooking the apron and manned 24hr a day wm Military hangars gr^^m u wm ffr i Military apron an Z CV-' __-__ I East Terminal 1 Internationa! traffic — - —, fiiifii H§§ •- \ FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 21 May 1988 27
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