Tigerair flight TT-271 made an emergency landing in Sydney, Australia, on December 17th.
The plane took off for Melbourne, Australia, but had to turn back after an incident onboard prompted security concerns.
The plane landed back safely. Everyone aboard remained unharmed.
Details about the nature of threat are not known at the moment.
Tassili Airlines flight SF-2210 made an emergency landing in Oran, Algeria, on October 14th.
The plane heading from Algiers to Tlemcen, Algeria, was diverted after it lost communication with the ATC.
However, while trying to send a transponder signal for loss of communication, the crew mistakenly set the code that indicates unlawful interference.
The plane landed safely and was surrounded by security forces.
A Hawaii-bound American Airlines plane was escorted by two fighter jets on May 19th.
American Airlines flight 31 was heading from Los Angeles, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, when a passenger tried to break into the cockpit. The crew reported the disturbance, which prompted the Pacific Command to dispatch a pair of fighter jets for escort.
The passenger, identified as Turkish national Anil Uskanil, 25, was restrained and subdued before the plane landed in Honolulu.
“The aircraft is currently on the ground, and the individual who disrupted the flight has been detained,” the Department of Homeland Security said.
Royal Jordanian Airlines flight RJ-611 had to divert for an emergency landing in Doha, Qatar, on May 18th.
The Airbus A320-200 plane heading from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Amman, Jordan, was diverted after the crew found an unidentified object on-board.
The plane landed uneventfully. All passengers and crew members remained safe.
Upon checking, the security forces did not find any hazardous material.
American Airlines flight 534 had to divert and make an emergency landing at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, Missouri, on February 9th.
Authorities said the plane heading from Columbus, Ohio, to Phoenix, Arizona, was diverted for a security check.
The plane landed safely. There were 113 passengers and 5 crew members aboard at the time; all of them remained unharmed.
The plane was cleared after a thorough inspection and was able to depart for Phoenix.
Two tires of an Air India plane burst during landing at Srinagar International Airport in Jammu and Kashmir, India, on June 30th.
The incident happened when the flight AI 3821 was transporting security personnel from Jammu.
There were 133 security personnel and crew members aboard at the time; all of them remained unharmed.
A British Airways flight made an emergency landing at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, on June 1st.
Authorities said a security alert was issued about the British Airways plane that was flying from London, United Kingdom.
An airline spokesperson said, “The aircraft has landed normally. Security checks will carried out as a precaution…We do not discuss details of operational security. The safety and security of our customers and crew is our number one priority.”
The plane was carrying 206 passengers and 13 crew members at the time.
A Public Security Department helicopter crashed in Salt, western Jordan, on February 2nd.
Authorities said the helicopter was on a night-time training mission when it went down.
The helicopter was carrying two pilots at the time; one of them was killed in the crash while the other one was seriously injured.
The cause of crash is being investigated.
A passenger aboard Jet Airways flight 9W 585 opened the plane’s emergency exit just after landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, India, on January 24.
According to a Jet Airways spokesperson, “A guest, who travelled from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai by Jet Airways flight 9W 585, opened the emergency exit after the aircraft had parked at the bay at the Mumbai airport. The matter was reported to the security agencies.”
The passenger, who apparently told the crew members that he opened the emergency exit door “just for fun”, was escorted to a local police station by security forces.
Local media identified him as Steve Titschler, of Germany.
Two Kathmandu-bound flights were grounded just before takeoff from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, India, on January 27.
Authorities said the flights were grounded after the Jet Airways security office received a call saying there was a “bomb threat” to Jet Airways flight 9W 260 and Air India flight AI-215.
There were 122 passengers and 7 crew members aboard Jet Airways flight while the Air India plane was carrying 121 passengers at the time.
A Border Security Force (BSF) plane crashed near Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Dehli, India, on December 22.
The Beech SuperKing B200 aircraft, carrying 10 BSF personnel, went down just after taking off from the Delhi airport. Authorities believe the plane’s left engine stopped working, causing it to crash into the wall of airport’s sewage treatment plant and ending up in the water.
All ten personnel aboard the plane were killed in the crash.
The accident is being investigated.
In the wake of Metrojet flight 9268 crash, the Egyptian government has hired a London-based consultancy firm for auditing its airport security.
The firm ‘Control Risks’ will start by inspecting the airports in Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh.
According to Egypt’s Civil Aviation Minister Hossam Kamal, “All Egyptian airports apply international standards in airport security… The air transport industry globally is facing several challenges… Airport security has risen to the top of these challenges, especially with the upsurge of terrorism in different parts of the world.”
Control Risks’ chief executive for Middle East and North Africa Andreas Carleton-Smith said, “There will be a comprehensive assessment, and this supports extensive work already undertaken in recent months by Egyptian and international government experts…We will be starting work directly to take forward this critical initiative.”
Spirit Airlines Flight 596 had to return and make an emergency landing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on November 19.
According to the airline, “the flight crew decided to return to the gate because of a security issue on board.” It is believed that two passengers were overheard mentioning ‘bomb’ about 20 minutes after the plane took off for Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The plane landed uneventfully. The passengers who were heard talking about bomb were removed while the Bomb-sniffing dogs searched the aircraft.
Authorities confirmed that no explosive were found.
American Airlines flight 1691 was en route from Newark to Dallas Texas and diverted to Lambert Airport in St. Louis when passengers aboard the flight were concerned about a passenger’s use of an electronic device.
The person in question was taken into police custody.
The flight continued to Dallas.
The person who was the security risk was taken off the plane in police custody but released after the interview, and provided a hotel room. The passenger will be provided another flight.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) unveiled the first mock-up of a Checkpoint of the Future, designed to enhance security while reducing queues and intrusive searches at airports, using intelligence-driven risk-based measures.
IATA’s Checkpoint of the Future is being shown to delegates attending the Association’s 67th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit, in Singapore.
“We spend $7.4 billion a year to keep aviation secure. But our passengers only see hassle. Passengers should be able to get from curb to boarding gate with dignity. That means without stopping, stripping or unpacking, and certainly not groping. That is the mission for the Checkpoint of the Future. We must make coordinated investments for civilized flying,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.
The main concepts of the Checkpoint are (1) strengthened security by focusing resources where risk is greatest, (2) supporting this risk-based approach by integrating passenger information into the checkpoint process, and (3) maximizing throughput for the vast majority of travelers who are deemed to be low risk with no compromise on security levels.
“Today’s checkpoint was designed four decades ago to stop hijackers carrying metal weapons. Since then, we have grafted on more complex procedures to meet emerging threats. We are more secure, but it is time to rethink everything. We need a process that responds to today’s threat. It must amalgamate intelligence based on passenger information and new technology. That means moving from a system that looks for bad objects, to one that can find bad people,” said Bisignani.
How does it work?
The Checkpoint of the Future ends the one-size-fits-all concept for security. Passengers approaching the checkpoint will be directed to one of three lanes: ‘known traveler’, ‘normal’, and ‘enhanced security’. The determination will be based on a biometric identifier in the passport or other travel document that triggers the results of a risk assessment conducted by government before the passenger arrives at the airport.
The three security lanes will have technology to check passengers according to risk. “Known travelers” who have registered and completed background checks with government authorities will have expedited access. “Normal screening” would be for the majority of travelers. And those passengers for whom less information is available, who are randomly selected or who are deemed to be an “Elevated risk” would have an additional level of screening.
Screening technology is being developed that will allow passengers to walk through the checkpoint without having to remove clothes or unpack their belongings. Moreover, it is envisioned that the security process could be combined with outbound customs and immigration procedures, further streamlining the passenger experience.
Next Steps
Through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), 19 governments, including the United States, are working to define standards for a Checkpoint of the Future. IATA is also coordinating closely with the US Department of Homeland Security’s Checkpoint of Tomorrow program which has similar goals.
“We have the ability to move to the biometric scanning and three-lane concept right now. And while some of the technology still needs to be developed, even by just re-purposing what we have today, we could see major changes in two or three years time,” said Bisignani.
For more information, please contact:
Director Corporate Communications
AGM Media Centre Tel: +65 6688 2734
Email: corpcomms@iata.org