E tū Union's negotiations specialist Michael Wood said the plan could lead to profit being prioritised over air safety. Video / Alyse Wright / Ben Dickens
Aviation security service officers are seizing nearly 900 prohibited items from passengers each month.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is exploring options to privatise aviation security, raising concerns among unions.
Unions argue outsourcing security could lower standards and compromise safety in air travel.
Aviation Security Service officers are seizing almost 900 prohibited items from air passengers every month, ranging from imitation grenades and fireworks to more serious items like firearms.
Aviation Security Service [Avsec] classifies prohibited items into five ominous categories, including “blades and spikes”, what it calls “bludgeoning weapons, explosives and projectiles” and firearms. Despite the references, the items seized are generally more innocuous than they sound.
“Bludgeoning weapons” were most commonly tools, or recreational items such as cricket bats or souvenirs like traditional Māori mere – a one-handed, teardrop-shaped weapon usually made of greenstone.
Two unions representing aviation security officers oppose the Transport Minister's interest in outsourcing aviation security at New Zealand airports. Photo / CAA
Between December and January, an average of 897 items were taken each month from passengers boarding airlines in New Zealand.
In December, 75 firearms were taken by Avsec officers. Forty-seven were toy guns, 23 were gun parts such as rifle bolts, and four functional rifles and one pistol were also seized.
Separately, thousands of batteries, flammable items, gas cylinders or chemicals that are classified as dangerous goods are seized each month.
A CAA spokesperson said there was no evidence any of the prohibited items were taken on planes for malicious purposes.
“Daily, passengers attempt to travel with prohibited items, often unintentionally, with the majority involving lower-risk materials. However, our frontline officers routinely encounter higher-risk items, underscoring the vital work we do to ensure the safety of air travel.”
Move to privatise aviation security ‘deeply concerning’
E tū represents up to 300 aviation security officers and its negotiation specialist Michael Wood said the privatisation idea is dangerous.
“Avsec’s job is too important to be handed over to commercial operators. Aviation security is one of the most safety-critical elements in our entire transport system, and privatisation risks weakening that,” he said.
E tū negotiation specialist Michael Wood says the Transport Minister's interest in privatising aviation security in New Zealand is "deeply concerning". Photo / Alyse Wright
He believed asking airlines to run security could undermine the thoroughness of the passenger screening process.
“While our airlines are committed to safety, the thoroughness of screening processes would be in direct conflict with their goal of getting people on to planes as quickly as possible.”
His comments were supported by a submission on the privatisation plan from another union that represents Avsec workers, the National Union of Public Employees [Nupe].
In the submission, Nupe organiser Quentin Findlay said outsourcing Avsec’s work would “lower security standards” and impact New Zealand’s reputation.
Unions say scanning baggage can be difficult and time consuming for AVSEC staff, especially when dealing
with uncooperative or difficult passengers, airport staff or airline crew.
Photo / CAA
A current Avsec worker quoted in the submission also believed the idea was high-risk.
“Airlines want to get away on time and not pay more for being stuck at airports because of delays. Imagine them screening bags and doing security when a flight needs to leave, or passengers are running late. Do they speed the process up by cutting corners? To me, that is asking for trouble.”
Findlay said airlines were often to blame for queues as they don’t ensure passengers adhere to the 7kg limit for carry-on bags and bulky bags take longer to scan and assess.
“Air New Zealand is a frequent offender in this area, while Jetstar more consistently checks baggage weight,” he said.
Air New Zealand’s chief operational integrity and safety officer, Captain David Morgan, accepted some customers “push the upper limits” when it comes to carry-on bags.
Morgan, who supports the idea of having a contestable aviation security model, said overweight, bulky bags delay boarding and disembarking with reduced space in overhead lockers.
“Our airport teams keep an eye on this and where necessary will ask customers whose baggage exceeds limits to check in their bags.”
In Australia, security is managed by airports and private security contractors.
But Finlay pointed out there were inconsistencies in security enforcement and outcomes in Australia, as well as multiple controversies, including claims of corruption.
“One of the major concerns with the Australian system is the lack of a centralised approach, particularly concerning the processing cost per passenger. Airports charge varied fees, leading to accusations of monopolisation and price gouging,” he said.
Michael Morrah is a senior investigative reporter/team leader at the Herald. He won the best coverage of a major news event at the 2024 Voyager NZ Media Awards and has twice been named reporter of the year. He has been a broadcast journalist for 20 years and joined the Herald’s video team in July 2024.
