Travellers likely to pay for tougher security screening

By CATHY ARONSON transport reporter

Air travellers face higher fares and longer check-ins when more luggage is screened to meet new international security standards.

In New Zealand, only hand luggage carried in the cabin is x-rayed. But by January 2006 all luggage will have to be screened before airlines can land on foreign soil.

The Government has a year to decide how much the changes will cost and who will pay for scanners, airport renovations and more security staff.

Aviation Security Services has screened luggage for eight American-bound airlines and some Asian airlines since September 11.

At first passengers had to check in four hours before the flight to move through extra security but the wait has dropped to the standard two hours.

Airlines paid for the extra screening because it was not New Zealand law, but when the standards are implemented in 2006 the costs could be passed back to the passengers.

Aviation Security Service general manager Mark Everitt told the Aviation Industry Association conference this week that it needed to find a cost-effective way of screening luggage and decide who would pay.

Security levies or Government subsidies were options.

In April, a $2.80 security levy was added to the price of domestic tickets to pay for screening of domestic cabin luggage after the terrorist attacks in America.

But screening luggage for international flights in a cost-effective way without causing delays will be difficult.

The latest explosive detection x-rays, CTX 5000, cost up to $1 million each and installation can cost up to $100,000.

Each airport would need several.

Auckland Airport operations general manager David Hansen said the airport could face costly renovations to accommodate the large Machines.

"There is no doubt there will be a very significant cost involved but how it is paid for is yet to be resolved."

The airports and airlines are part of a working party with the Aviation Security Service, Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation Authority, which are implementing new standards made by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

The working party is investigating reducing costs while meeting standards with a mix of scanners, sniffer dogs and profiling. New economical screening technology could be available within two years.

CAA aviation security manager Trevor Joy said the ICAO standards were enforced after September 11.