Wirraway
21st Jul 2004, 16:03
Thurs "The Australian"
Baggage deadline in doubt
By Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
July 22, 2004
AUSTRALIA'S biggest airport has raised doubts that a baggage screening system designed to test every piece of checked baggage for explosives will be ready in time to meet a December deadline.
While other Australian airports believe they are on track to introduce the so-called checked-bag screening system by year's end, Sydney Airport chief executive Max Moore-Wilton said this week he doubted the airport would meet an 18-month-old government-imposed deadline to install the equipment by December 31.
Sydney handles about half of Australia's international air traffic and faces the biggest bill - up to $50million - to upgrade its baggage system.
"The problem, with checked-bag screening, is there are only two or three major suppliers around the world and everyone's putting it in," Mr Moore-Wilton said.
"So, of course, there's a lot of pressure in the supply line.
"But we're negotiating at the present time and we're trying to meet the Government's objectives and deadlines. But it's going to be very tight."
The federal Government said yesterday that it would enforce the deadline, set in December 2002.
"Our position is the deadline remains," a spokesman for Transport Minister John Anderson said.
"If Sydney Airport, or any other airport, can't physically fit the infrastructure needed in time, they'll have to use alternative methods of checked-bag screening. And they have said to us they are prepared to use these alternative methods."
Such methods are likely to include widespread use of electronic trace detection machines to scan bags individually, a move that could mean delays for passengers.
It is understood Sydney is the only airport so far to raise doubts about its ability to meet the deadline.
A check of Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth - the other members of the "big four" international airports - found all believed they were on track to introduce the system on time.
Checked bags from Sydney are already 100per cent screened to some destinations, notably the US, and random checks are made on other flights.
Even if Sydney's system is delayed, the Australian deadline for 100per cent screening is a year ahead of a global deadline set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
But it will lag behind the US - which began screening 100 per cent of its checked baggage in January last year - by two years.
The federal Government's 2002 security package also required domestic terminal operators to introduce permanent checked-bag screening at Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, Cairns, Canberra, Coolangatta and Darwin by December 31.
Passengers are expected to be slugged with a baggage screening levy of up to $5.
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Baggage deadline in doubt
By Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
July 22, 2004
AUSTRALIA'S biggest airport has raised doubts that a baggage screening system designed to test every piece of checked baggage for explosives will be ready in time to meet a December deadline.
While other Australian airports believe they are on track to introduce the so-called checked-bag screening system by year's end, Sydney Airport chief executive Max Moore-Wilton said this week he doubted the airport would meet an 18-month-old government-imposed deadline to install the equipment by December 31.
Sydney handles about half of Australia's international air traffic and faces the biggest bill - up to $50million - to upgrade its baggage system.
"The problem, with checked-bag screening, is there are only two or three major suppliers around the world and everyone's putting it in," Mr Moore-Wilton said.
"So, of course, there's a lot of pressure in the supply line.
"But we're negotiating at the present time and we're trying to meet the Government's objectives and deadlines. But it's going to be very tight."
The federal Government said yesterday that it would enforce the deadline, set in December 2002.
"Our position is the deadline remains," a spokesman for Transport Minister John Anderson said.
"If Sydney Airport, or any other airport, can't physically fit the infrastructure needed in time, they'll have to use alternative methods of checked-bag screening. And they have said to us they are prepared to use these alternative methods."
Such methods are likely to include widespread use of electronic trace detection machines to scan bags individually, a move that could mean delays for passengers.
It is understood Sydney is the only airport so far to raise doubts about its ability to meet the deadline.
A check of Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth - the other members of the "big four" international airports - found all believed they were on track to introduce the system on time.
Checked bags from Sydney are already 100per cent screened to some destinations, notably the US, and random checks are made on other flights.
Even if Sydney's system is delayed, the Australian deadline for 100per cent screening is a year ahead of a global deadline set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
But it will lag behind the US - which began screening 100 per cent of its checked baggage in January last year - by two years.
The federal Government's 2002 security package also required domestic terminal operators to introduce permanent checked-bag screening at Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, Cairns, Canberra, Coolangatta and Darwin by December 31.
Passengers are expected to be slugged with a baggage screening levy of up to $5.
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