Security Concerns At Bournemouth Airport

The security of airports in todays world is of paramount importance. With regular security scares and terrorism seemingly on the increase our safety is in the hands of the airlines and airports we travel with. But just how safe are the airports? A BBC investigation has just uncovered what they claim to be gaps in security at Bournemouth Airport in Dorset and have highlighted key areas in which the airport is, they feel, an easy target for a potential terrorist.

Bournemouth Airport has no permanent police team. Whilst many airports in the UK have a dedicated force constantly patrolling and visible Bournemouth Airport does not. This is clearly a worrying scenario as an airport that appears to be lacking police presence could be seen a a 'soft target' for a potential terrorist. As a result this website wonders if even the adoption of cardboard cut-outs of police would be advisable as research and real-life trials have shown such methods to be succesful in preventing motoring offences and shoplifting both in the UK, USA and Canada at a fraction of the cost of real officers.

Passenger numbers at Bournemouth Airport are expected to reach three million by the year 2014. With these potentially rising passenger numbers the airport will need to increase its security if it becomes more of a target for terrorism. Bournemouth Airport responded to the BBC investigation by stating that they had measures in place that were not visible to passengers and that the security of operations at the airport was a high priority for them.

The BBC report comissioned the help of a terrorism expert named Frank Gregory, who during the course of inspecting the airports anti-terrorism facilities drew the conclusion that Bournemouth Airport was "vulnerable" and apparently expressed surprise at the lack of a consistent barrier that circled the entire airport.

The calls for a permanent police presence come at a time when money for such facilities appears to be reducing from central government, however there have been suggestions that the airport should bear some of the cost of policing even though much of the burden would currently fall on the Dorset tax payer.

Published by: Jon Vickery