06 Sept : VTM (Flemish television) and airport security

vflies · Post by **vflies** » 07 Sep 2004, 13:12

And another show dedicated to (exactly) the same subject:

Tonight, Sept 7, BBC1 TV 9.00 BST (10pm CET) Whistleblower:
" As the third anniversary of the 9/11 atrocities approaches, cautionary tales abound in this investigation exposing shortcomings in airport security."

Worth watching too...

VFlies

killerwhale65 · Post by **killerwhale65** » 07 Sep 2004, 13:18

golf1411 wrote:Besides the false CV nothing wrong happened.

In my opinion 2 things did go wrong.
1. The guy obviously hasnt been checked. He put false references on his CV, but nobody bothered to check him out. This means that anyone can say whatever they like on there CV. Thus also people with not so good intensions can pretend to be 'safe', they are not checked anyway.

2. he managed to get items through security with which you can build a bomb. OK, it was plasticine, BUT they did not check that at all, and it looks and feels exactly the same as SEMTEX. I think when you look at the X-ray monitor and see: 1. cables, 2. mobile phone, 3. an unidentified box you must be able to link those 3 together and ask yourself some questions.

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 07 Sep 2004, 13:51

1. The guy obviously hasnt been checked. He put false references on his CV, but nobody bothered to check him out. This means that anyone can say whatever they like on there CV. Thus also people with not so good intensions can pretend to be 'safe', they are not checked anyway.

First of all it's quite frequent in our country that the poeple do not check the things which are mentioned in the CV. But this being said I'm sure that the company checked with the police if this guy did have any trouble with the police in the past. (in dutch: bewijs van goed gedrag en zeden")

I agree with you Vflies. The show shows clearly that some procedures need to change in the future in order to further enhance security at the airport. But I really don't thing that VTM did the right thing. They could have done their investigation and then show it to Biac, Securair etc.. but not on TV !!!!! Making a TV show and tell all the poeple that BRU is unsafe and to show them the "ingredients" to build a bomb will only make sme people anxious of flying. Not talking about how angry AA is :shakehead:
On the other hand it's good to show to Securair and biac that it is easy to sneak through their checks, so they can learn from it and improve their security measures. But we all need to keep in mind that it is not possible to secure an airport up to 100% .

Now I really hope that some measures will be taken to improve the checks (to the pax but also to the staff !!!).

Regards
Chris
8)

LX-LGX · Post by **LX-LGX** » 07 Sep 2004, 14:12

VTM is not concerned about the safety on our airports: they are a commercial television company, and they're only interested in more viewers. Nothing more, nothing less. Viewers = money from advertisers.

What did Securair had to do ? Phone Ford Genk: "hi there, this is Brussels calling. Some years ago, you had an employee called Tim Verheyden making photocopies. Have you ever caught him with explosives? Has he ever been caught while installing a car bomb? Have you ever found a firearm on him ? No, OK, thanks!"

So far, all terrorists that are linked to airline terrorism are muslims, mostly trained in Middle East countries like Lybia. This VTM-guy was 100 % safe from that point of vue, so Securair cannot be blamed.

So let's stick with the facts: he did not put a bomb on the plane. He even did not try to do so. He simply took some plasticine aboard. And he used his cell phone during his work, like most of us probably do.

And finally: last weekend, I saw many journalistst (including a VTM crew) at a royal party. Has that VTM-cameraman been screened ? What if he suddenly would have opened fire on our king, queen, all princes and princesses ? They were all only 10 metres away from him.

Com'on pilots: give them a surprise, next time a VTM camera team wants to come aboard...

JetB · Post by **JetB** » 07 Sep 2004, 15:27

Without giving information away about how security works @ BRU I can say this :

Securair people are being tested every day, not once, not twice but around 3 times every 20 minutes (for a screener) to see if the person is focused. If not, this results in big consequences.

Components to make a bomb !. If we have to search a bag that has, lets say two components to build a bomb we have to open EVERY bag. How many people do you need for that ?, who is going to pay for that ?, are you ....... ?

BRU is maybe an expensive airport but at least you can sleep on both ears when you travel from this airport.

The weakest link ? yes there is always that possibility that something goes wrong. But BIAC and Securair do a lot to prevent a drama from happening

Low cost airlines and airports are expanding rapidly, God knows what goes on there !!!!.

But this is just my personal opinion.

EBBR · Post by **EBBR** » 07 Sep 2004, 17:17

According to Telefacts-journalist Tim Verheyden, the main reason for this security-flaw is the de-motivation of the security-staff e.g.: the biggest discussion in the lunch-area was to 'look for another job'. Did you notice in newspapers that every week Securair is looking for new people?

I can understand the de-motivation, working in shifts, working in weekends and still your wage sucks. Your next promotion (if you are lucky) is in 15 years. How much will security-people at the airport earn? 1100€ netto?

If you want motivated people you need to do something about the wage AND most important: you need to keep your personal motivated in their mono-toned job by giving them RESPECT.

Besides 'security' should be the highest priority in the aviation industry but you only hear: 'as long as it doesn't cost too much'!

JetB · Post by **JetB** » 07 Sep 2004, 18:20

I work part time, and to be honest I dont see myself working full time at the airport. The job is just to mono-toned to be there 38 hours a week. But it is up to you to make your day, you can just stand there and say nothing, but you can also have a nice chit chat with a passenger and your day is over in no time

.

I work on the A en B pier and US Outbound and I have to say that the biggest discussion in the lunch-area isn't to 'look for another job' !!!.

Management !, don't know them and if I ever see them, a simple "hello" is even to much

.
So yes EBBR, respect is something this company needs to have more. But, and this is a big BUT..... The biggest disrespect we get is not from the bosses but from the passenger !

.

Money, who doesn't like to make more !. The only problem we face is that weekends and holidays are under payed, we do not get the normal 200 %. I quit my last ( extremely good paying job ) and you know what ? Money is not a motivation, maybe for a short time but thats it.

There are diffinetly things that can be changed at Securair but I don't like to discus this in this forum. We have a union for that.......

LX-LGX · Post by **LX-LGX** » 08 Sep 2004, 10:51

N E W S ! ! !

For those who haven't seen it: the program is online now, probably till next Monday

http://www.vtm.be/telefacts/video.htm

(if you read this after +/- 13th September, there will be another Telefacts program online)

1V1 · Post by **1V1** » 08 Sep 2004, 11:45

The chain is as strong as the weakest link. I know a few people that left Securair after one month and even one after one week. As long as people see this job as a temporary one it's impossible to build a real team.
If you want to see some professionals at work got to Tel Aviv.
Greetz

vflies · Post by **vflies** » 08 Sep 2004, 12:42

Good point, 1V1!
Heard on the news that Securair could get fined by Belgian Security... Hope it will help remind them how important their mission is...

VFlies

vflies · Post by **vflies** » 08 Sep 2004, 12:50

If anyone else saw the BBC show last night, it was quite similar to Telefacts.
One hour long, we followed a BBC journalist who got hired as a security officer at Manchester airport.

While they did check her credentials and references (they even put her on probation because they had some doubts), the problems at MAN seem even worse than what we saw at BRU:
- unmanned passengers check points
- staff just walking around controls (thus avoiding them)
- security statistics tampered with
- airport perimeter fences too low or absent letting spotters sit next to the runways (litterally!!!)
- and so on...

All documented by hidden camera pictures and CCTV footage...

However the documentary was first shown to Government and airport authorities and journalist said that "appropriate measures" were being taken...

Look out for reruns on BBC1, BBC2 or BBCWorld later this week as it's TV worth watching!

VFlies

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 08 Sep 2004, 14:03

I didn't had time to watch that show yesterday evening, but I will certainly try to see it this week.

Thanks for the info VFlies.

Chris

Falcon7X · Post by **Falcon7X** » 08 Sep 2004, 16:19

I saw the BBC show yesterday. I have to say that the approach of the problem was more professional then that of VTM. Anyway, the BBC show adressed a diferent problem then telefacts did. BBC reported negligeance and the lack of inspections that are suposed to be performed by the security forces at the airports. Telefacts was about the enemy within, they said themselves that there was no problem concerning the security towards the passengers. The enemy within is difficult to defeat. If a person, who applies for a job, doesn't have a criminal record and wasn't part of a extremist organisation in the past, there is no way that the screening will show that he is going to commit a crime, or he should be so stupid to scream it out.
In the past several cases are know where pilots flew their planes into the ground, not as an accident but as a suicide. Nobody knew upfrond that they were going to do that. And what happens when for instance a ground technician, who normally performs the duplicate inspections, decides to cut a few wires? My point is that you can do all the screening you'd like, you just can't rull out the enemy within. I seriously doubt the security companies are in the possession of a crystal ball to look into the future. Perhaps they can set up their own secret intelligence service to follow employees once and a while to look for suspicious conduct.
I for one don't believe that security is that bad on our airports. Their is always room for improvement, but let's not exaggerate.

744rules · Post by **744rules** » 08 Sep 2004, 17:01

And what about the next scenario :

a guy working inside the safety zone for a couple of years gets contacted by a person/group with bad intentions to smuggle prohibited items into that zone.

killerwhale65 · Post by **killerwhale65** » 08 Sep 2004, 17:19

vflies wrote:- airport perimeter fences too low or absent letting spotters sit next to the runways (litterally!!!)

Wow how cool

is this program also visible online?

vflies · Post by **vflies** » 09 Sep 2004, 12:10

I don't know killerwhale65, but you might wanna look for it on the BBC's extensive website...
You actually saw families picknicking on the grass just a few yards away from the runway where 777's from AA and DL were taxying!
I'm sure a few Luchtzak members would really like that!

VFlies

killerwhale65 · Post by **killerwhale65** » 09 Sep 2004, 13:23

didnt find the program itself, but i did find a newsitem about it: http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/40038 ... t05_vi.ram

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » 10 Sep 2004, 18:45

Twee Vandaag: beveiliging op Zaventem faalt

10-09-2004

HILVERSUM - Actualiteitenprogramma Twee Vandaag besteedt in de uitzending van zaterdagavond tijd aan de veiligheid op luchthavens. Drie jaar na 11 september laat het tv-programma zien hoe een Vlaamse journalist de kans krijgt om een (nep)bom aan boord van een Amerikaans vliegtuig te brengen.

De journalist wist met een reeks valse referenties een baan bij een beveiligingsbedrijf op de Brusselse luchthaven te bemachtigen. Met een geheime camera brengt de reporter zijn actie in beeld. Eerder slaagde een Britse verslaggever er al in om een bom aan boord te krijgen van een vliegtuig op de luchthaven van Birmingham.

Source: Luchtvaartnieuws.nl

This Saturday, the Dutch tv will discuss our famous VTM-reporter. It seems the "show" starts at 17:58 (first news until 18.22) at Ned2.

LX-LGX · Post by **LX-LGX** » 10 Sep 2004, 20:09

That's good news for VTM's shareholders:

every time the program is sold abroad,

it's kassa kassa for them !

LX-LGX · Post by **LX-LGX** » 12 Sep 2004, 14:31

On 9th September 2001, the Northern Alliance Commander in Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Masoud, was killed by a bomb, hidden in a camera. He was about to be interviewed by 2 (arabic) journalists.

If I was an airline captain, I wouldn't allow a VTM camera on board, as VTM says they know how to fix a bomb.

If I was a security supervisor at BRU (be it Securair or Aviapartner or BGS or BIAC), I would ask for a D-check on every Betacam or U-Matic High camera that's supposed to be taken on board.

Let them take the train, those journo's. They then can make a story on the complete lack of safety control in public transport, to be broadcasted on 11th March 2005. Exactly one year after 200 people where killed in a terrorist blast at Madrid's railway station.