Device found in Virgin Blue plane hold

[Wirraway]

Thurs "The Australian"

Device found in plane hold
By Charles Miranda
September 23, 2004

A POTENTIALLY explosive device has been found in the cargo bay of a jet at Sydney airport - and accidentally carried into the passenger terminal.

An initial NSW Police report has concluded the substance was thermite, a chemical used in grenades. It was found wrapped in a cardboard toilet roll tube with a firework sparkler attached as a 30-second fuse.

The Daily Telegraph has learned the device was discovered in a knotted plastic bag, along with matches, in the cargo hold of a Virgin Blue 737-300 jet by baggage handlers at 11.30am on Monday. But the find was kept quiet, with Australian Federal Police attempting to trace its origin.

A spokesman for Virgin last night played down the threat, declining to comment about the substance.

But he confirmed it was "a flammable substance, powder and matches" and Virgin was reviewing how staff inadvertently carried the package into the airport.

"The point to make is that the device was not checked baggage or hand luggage, that is, it was not screened and appears to have been left [in the aircraft] by someone with access to the airfield," he said.

Thermite is widely used by the military for its armour-piercing capabilities. It burns without oxygen at 3000C and melts metal on contact. Its civilian use includes welding.

The package was found lying loose in the baggage hold of the airliner on Monday on flight DJ-747 from Maroochydore to Sydney.

Despite handlers not knowing what the roll was, they carried it into the Mascot domestic passenger Terminal 2 to be X-rayed.

A NSW Police report has concluded it was a "non-electrical improvised explosive device [IED]" containing the compound thermite.

The AFP is now having the substance more throroughly analysed by laboratory technicians.

Investigators have not ruled out the possibility it was planted by a disgruntled airport or aircraft worker.

It may also have been designed to burn the plane while it was on the ground because it is impossible for passengers or crew to get into the plane's hold during flight.

Virgin is at the centre of an angry exchange over its handling of the incident. The airline failed to immediately alert the airport's security teams of the find, instead carrying it into the airport.

It was then that airport security were alerted who sounded an immediate "duress alert".

The package was then moved to a quarantined area in a valet car park, which was sealed off and the bomb squad called in.

A NSW Police spokesman last night confirmed police were not told of the incident until one hour and 40 minutes after the discovery.

A Sydney Airport Corporation spokeswoman confirmed there was an incident and said that while the airport had "strict protocols", she declined to comment on whether they were followed either by their own staff or Virgin's. She did confirm SACL was not told of the find until after NSW Police had been notified.

It is understood as NSW Police, the AFP and Australian Protective Service (APS) officers sought to search the aircraft, it took off for a scheduled flight to Ballina.

The jet was searched by police, along with sniffer dog squads, at 3.30pm when it returned to Sydney.

Police sources last night said they had "grave concerns" about how Virgin managed the incident.

The incident comes three months after a man left a note in toilets at Sydney airport threatening to "destroy" a terminal.

Qantas staff who found the note allowed the man to fly on to New Zealand and only alerted police after the aircraft had taken off.

* ASIO is checking the background on thousands of airport workers with access to sensitive areas, after authorities found security passes were being held by convicted criminals and sacked employees. The checks should have been completed by June 30 but the agency and AFP asked for an extension.

Thermite
* Thermite has been used in modern weaponry and as an incendiary device

* Is a mixture of aluminium powder and iron oxide. When the two substances ignite they burn at extremely high temperatures

* Used extensively to weld railway tracks

==========================================

[TIMMEEEE]

Perhaps this thread should be attached to and filed under "Lack of Professionalism at Virgin Blue".

It was this however that really horrified me,


The ABC understands police were not called in for more than an hour after the device was discovered.

To further highlight VB's total lack of training of staff in bomb/suspicious article handling and the ultimate in terms of lack of awareness,

A Sydney newspaper has reported the device was carried into the terminal,

For over a year QF have trained ALL STAFF in security measures to deal with handling of suspicious articles.
It appears this is not the case at VB.

Looks like its time Virgin Blue haul their arse into the twenty first century where the possibility of terrorism is a real threat and could adversely affect themselves.

If it was a disgruntled staff member then it looks like Richard Branson needs fork out more pay, as it looks like the standard cheesy smile and group hug mentality just aint going to cut it.

CASA will be doing a full safety audit this time with full co-operation with the Australian Federal Police.
Whatever the outcomes, VB will have to lift their game and start spending more money on training of staff and procedural changes throughout the company because its quite obvious that no security attitude prevails.

[Sunfish]

First question: cui bono? There is only one group who would benefit from trouble at VB.

[1013]

So please let me get this straight.
A suspicious article is discovered by baggage handlers and the conversation and actions are something like this:

Bloggs A : 'Hey this article looks suspicious and what the hell is it with this sparkler attached?'

Bloggs B : 'Dunno shags but lets pick up this suspicious looking article and carry it into the terminal'

The cruncher is that it took some lame-brained idiot VB employee over an hour to notify the Federal Police.

If anything the port/airport manager should have been notified and the AFP notified immediately when the article was discovered,let alone physically man handled and moved to where it could be X-rayed in a terminal amongst unsuspecting pax without due assessment.
Its quite obvious that VB has no contingency plans or training in place which is unforgiveable in this day and age.

Having friends killed by an explosion on a CV880 some years back I have seen the direct effects terrorism can cause.

In this case the handling could be summed up as follows:

Lack of training........................................Blatantly obvious
Reprehensible?.........................................Yes
Idiotic?...................................................Y es
Unprofessional?.................................. .....Definitely.

[The_Cutest_of_Borg]

From the SMH report...

Mr Huttner said the aircraft was allowed to fly back to Queensland because authorities had made no request for the aircraft to be held until it was searched

Did I read that right? They found a device on-board and then didn't search the rest of the aeroplane before it went off on another revenue flight with a bunch of unsuspecting punters on-board?

That is unbelieveable.

If it is correct, then VB's AOC must be called into question. Or at the very least, a few high profile heads must roll. Huttners quotes in the SMH beggar belief. Without any sort of investigation he has it blamed squarely on a disgruntled employee...

Shaking my head here.

[Horse Nuts]

My question is how was it supposed to go off? Being a sparkler wouldn't someone have to light it first? Then if they did this then they would have to do it while the plane was one the ground?

Maybe a disgruntled airport employee? As 1013 said "stupid staff" carrying the dman thing into the airport terminal. Leave the damn thing where it stood and get help from the right places.

[The Voice]

playing devils advocate here though ..

if it was in a plastic bag as the article says, and the bag was tied up (or knotted) one would assume that the contents couldn't be seen .. would a baggy open it up to see what was inside anyway? Obviously it isn't going to feel like someone's unmentionables ..

Wouldn't it make sense to have it x-rayed to see what the contents are?

Assuming that not all luggage arrives in a secure condition, how many 'knotted placky bags" do the handlers actually see each week?

In any case, on Lawsy .. the as usual irreverant Anderson has admitted this could have been a stunt by the TWU .. now THAT would be unprofessional and absolutely inexcusable .. AND the full strength of the law should prevail ...

[Kaptin M]

The incident comes three months after a man left a note in toilets at Sydney airport threatening to "destroy" a terminal.

Qantas staff who found the note allowed the man to fly on to New Zealand and only alerted police after the aircraft had taken off.

That is unbelieveable.

If it is correct, then QF's AOC must be called into question. Or at the very least, a few high profile heads must roll.

For over a year QF have trained ALL STAFF in security measures to deal with handling of suspicious articles and pax.

Looks like its time QF haul their arse into the twenty first century where the possibility of terrorism is a real threat and could adversely affect themselves.
QF will have to lift their game and start spending more money on training of staff and procedural changes throughout the company because its quite obvious that no security attitude prevails.

Its quite obvious that QF has no contingency plans or training in place which is unforgiveable in this day and age.

Lack of training........................................Blatantly obvious
Reprehensible?.........................................Yes
Idiotic?...................................................Y es
Unprofessional?.................................. .....Definitely.

Shaking my head here.http://pprune.org/forums/images/icons/46.gif

[Johhny Utah]

Kaptin M

Why don't you just come out & publcily state that you hate everything that Qantas stands for...? Or would you prefer to simply sit on the sidelines & snipe everytime someone mentions them in the news...?

To compare an incident where a note was found, to that where an explosive substance was found on an aircraft, is drawing a long bow...

QF DO have contingency plans in place for this. obviously the system had assessed the article as being of little/no risk, and that the flight could proceed.

As for this latest incident? An entirely different kettle of fish...:uhoh:

[Sperm Bank]

Johnny I think the Kapt may have a bit of tongue in cheek. He was merely responding to the same old guard of Virgin haters who time after time rant on with unintelligent, vacuous garbage. These "inexperienced amateurs" who post here are becoming very monotonous and display a total and complete void of ANY capacity for logical thought.

Because I am not armed with all the FACTS I can't comment. It may well have been a mistake, but of course QF don't make mistakes do they lads? No of course not. You amateurs just go on believing that. One day you will understand differently.

What very SAD people some of you are. I suspect some of you sit waiting for any negative DJ comments by the media and then rush onto your little computers to inform the world (as you know it, ie. LIMITED) of your new found wisdom. What a joke!

[Kaptin M]

FYI Johnny Utah, my previous post was merely a series of cut & pastes, with QF substituted for VB.:eek: Something I believe Sperm Bank picked up on. ;)
Your comment, "Or would you prefer to simply sit on the sidelines & snipe everytime someone mentions them in the news...?" suitably describes many from BOTH the QF and VB camps, who do precisely that - frequently - on this forum when either of those company's names appears.
As an "outsider" ie. one who is not employed by either company, one watches the "Big Wheel" turn, as BOTH companies, sooner or later, receive "press".

What goes around comes around!

As I have said previously, I regularly travel on QANTAS, and will be doing so again very soon, as it is MY choice of airlines, when I travel internationally.
Unlike your CEO, I try to support Australian products and their employees, when I have a choice - even if that decision occasionally costs me a few extra $$'s of my own.

[Tunguska]

Cost of ineptly trained and underpaid/overworked contract baggage handlers...............................$12 per hour

Cost of toilet roll filled with explosive substance with incendiary sparkler attached........................$4.50

Getting sprung by media for moving this both unidentified and suspicious explosive device to the terminal,endangering lives of paying passengers in the process and inept VB management not following standard protocols in alerting the Feds for over an hour till they figured out what the hell it really was .................................................PRICELESS


By the way Kap M, the QF pax you referred to was apparently a University professor that suffers from a common mental disorder but was not on his medication.
He was a frequent flyer that was recognised by staff flying on his regularly flown route.
Yep - he was assessed as suitable to fly by an assessment team which IMHO was incorrect, but either way he was assessed and the authorities consulted.

If it were up to me we would have Lee Kuan Yoo running security at airports in this country, along with 200 Israeli commandos in close support!!

[Ty Webb]

I don`t tend to subscribe to Capt. M`s imputs, but, lets be honest you QF people really are a bunch of frantic thumpers!!

[South]

This the latest from News.com.au

The incendiary device aboard a Virgin airliner appeared to have been a hoax and security would have picked up a real terrorist bomb, Transport Minister John Anderson said today.

What, Mr Anderson, you dont call thermite specifically and purposefully wrapped in a bag with a sparkler and matches a bomb? What is the difference? From every angle I look at this thing is a bomb, however rudimentary, regardless of whether the person who placed it there intended it to go off or just to spook someone. I hope they find whoever put it there and lock them up for a very long time.:mad:

[Buster Hyman]

I think I'll quietly wait for the "exclusive" article on how the device "breached" airport security followed by the lengthy editorial justification of the stunt by whichever media organisation!:hmm:

[Wirraway]

Thurs "Herald Sun" late News

Virgin staff 'not trained for bomb'
23sep04

VIRGIN Blue had not trained its workers to cope with an emergency like the discovery of an explosive device on a flight, an airport union said today.

Australian Federal Police today confirmed an investigation was under way into a Virgin Blue flight on Monday.
It is believed an explosive device was found in the cargo hold of a Virgin Blue jet at Sydney airport.

Transport Workers Union (TWU) airport organiser Glenn Nightingale said Virgin Blue had not trained its workers in security procedures.

"They're not trained. They're not aware," Mr Nightingale told radio 2UE.

"They wouldn't know what a bomb, or a typical home-made bomb or a professional bomb looks like. And they're not aware of it.

"They need to be made aware through proper training."

Mr Nightingale said that after an incident last month in which white powder was found on board a Virgin Blue flight he had met with Virgin's management and asked for security and evacuation training.

"That has not occurred," he said.

Passengers and crew on a flight arriving at Sydney Airport from Melbourne on August 26 were evacuated after a potentially hazardous substance was found on the plane.

An Airservices Australia spokesman said the 151 people, including six crew members, were evacuated as a precaution and nobody required medical treatment.

The TWU said Qantas did have security procedures in place to handle similar incidents.

"Qantas have got security procedures called the hot principle," Mr Nightingale said.

"They've trained their workers ... They have a reporting mechanism. They've got evacuation procedures."

Mr Nightingale said the union had met two weeks ago with Prime Minister John Howard to ask for the government and federal police to take control of security training for 10,000 airport workers at the airport.

He rejected suggestions that the union or a union member had deliberately planted the device as a warning.

"That's nonsense, absolutely nonsense," he said.

==========================================

[whipping boy]

Are there any serious welders out there that can inform me whether or not this "sparkler" could have been a welding rod and whether or not these two items are ever transported together.
Still even if it is the question is how did it get there in the first place.
I've had a few explosive ****s myself but always keep the dunny roll intact for the clean up.

[Wirraway]

virginblue.com.au

VB MEDIA STATEMENT

Regarding the security incident reported today, Virgin Blue can clarify the following points.

The matter was brought to the attention of the Australian Protective Services which is the first response unit of the Australian Federal Police, within approximately 15 minutes of discovery of the object.

Virgin Blue has rigorous safety and security training procedures in place for all staff. We continue to review all events as they occur to look at further ways to enhance this training and our procedures.

Virgin Blue is fully co-operating with the investigation by the Australian Federal Police and we encourage all other parties to focus their entire attention to assist in any way they can to do the same.

The Australian Federal Police lead these investigations and any further disclosure of information is at their discretion.

It is the long established policy of Virgin Blue not to conduct media interviews regarding specific security incidents while an investigation is ongoing.

No further comment will be made by Virgin Blue prior to the completion of the investigation.

Issued by:

Virgin Blue
Public & Media Relations

=============================================

[The_Cutest_of_Borg]

I don't know what a frantic thumper is, nor do I have an axe to grind with DJ, however I know gross negligence when I see it.

To put it another way, how would you feel if you became aware that the aeroplane you were flying in had just had an explosive device removed from it, and yet no search had been done for any more devices before the aircraft was put back into revenue service?

Whoever was responsible for that decision deserves the sack at the very least.

To say 24 hours after the event that it wasn't a proper bomb, misses the point entirely.

[Buster Hyman]

It is the long established policy of Virgin Blue not to conduct media interviews regarding specific security incidents
:eek: How many have they had???

[Scooter]

Remarkable that Brett Godfrey and Huttner are nowhere to be found.
I dare say that they are looking at who they can point the finger at and blame a fall-guy!
Lets see accountability and some leadership here Godfrey and co.

The TWU Airport Organiser has his job to do but at the same time was spot on about Virgin Blue staff not being trained and unable to cope with such a situation.

Now try and imagine that this was a real situation and casualties did result.
Alot of bleach-blondes running around breaking their nails and shrieking while Godfrey denied the situation and tried to blame Geoff Dixon and the media for a beat-up !!

Its about time Brett Godfrey was held accountable for this blatant and obvious oversight.

[SkySista]

The matter was brought to the attention of the Australian Protective Services which is the first response unit of the Australian Federal Police, within approximately 15 minutes of discovery of the object.

Geez, 15 minutes is such a quick response - good thing it wan't with a timer or anything for 5 minutes!

I don't know about you, but I think I'd call 'em in right away, and consider getting the pax off the plane & looking like a fool if it turns out to be nothing, than to dillydally round the joint before taking it into a terminal full of people and then letting the blardy plane fly off again without checking it!

but then, what would i know, I'm only SLF who's done a security/dangerous goods course..... :rolleyes:

Sky

PS - I work for neither DJ or QF, and yes, both airlines DO make mistakes..... ;)

[HGW]

15 minutes is pretty good I would think as thats how long it took to empty the hold, find it then call APS.

VB have the Hot Up training also.

[Buster Hyman]

HGW, that would imply that they knew it was there.:confused:

[HGW]

Buster,

They found it once the hold was empty as it was next to the webbing which by this time all the pax and bags were off.

Questionable calls were made but this was determined only after the benefit of hindsight. All procedures are being altered in conjunction with advice and help from the TWU and WorkCover.

Incidences like these high light areas of deficiencies in procedures and training. The bad thing would be if nothing was done about it them. This is not the case this time as a lot was learned and extra precautions are being put in place.

[Icarus2001]

For those people in so much of a hurry to rant about VB that they forgot to read the details, check this...

A NSW Police spokesman last night confirmed police were not told of the incident until one hour and 40 minutes after the discovery.

There are jurisdiction issues here. Maybe the NSW Police Comms Centre were not told immediately but..

The matter was brought to the attention of the Australian Protective Services which is the first response unit of the Australian Federal Police, within approximately 15 minutes of discovery of the object.

Timmeee whatever VB did in this situation you would criticise them, so give it away.

Those people who want to fein outrage at least understand the process before you have a go.

As for baggage handlers carrying a bag to the terminal for Xray. Think about the logic here, they carry hundreds of bags to the terminal every day. Loose bags, boxes and packages often show up on the carousel. What would cause them to think this knotted bag was any different?

REALITY CHECK people, if someone wanted to blow up an aeroplane at ANY Australian airport they could do it. A five, fifteen or two hour notification to the relevant security agency (AFP, APS, OTS) will make no difference.

As for Mr Anderson (the soon to be ex minister)...
The incendiary device aboard a Virgin airliner appeared to have been a hoax and security would have picked up a real terrorist bomb, Transport Minister John Anderson said today. he must be taking advice from Dick! :ok:

[Uncommon Sense]

Listening to John Andersons quavering octave and manufactured outrage on the radio today it is clear just how well equipped he is to continue to provide leadership at government level in aviation and transport.

To wrap up the investigation in 24 hours all by himself and declare the whole episode effectively a 'union stunt' is frightening in its simplistic dismissive partisan conclusions.

His abject willingness to embrace 'advice' without objection only serves to underline his own inadequacies - the simplicity sits firmly between John Andersons ears.

Australia and Australian aviation deserves and needs someone with the capacity to grasp more of the technicalities and realities.

Anderson aint it.

[FlexibleResponse]

Collection of quotes:The package was found lying loose in the baggage hold of the airliner on Monday on flight DJ-747 from Maroochydore to Sydney.

VIRGIN Blue had not trained its workers to cope with an emergency like the discovery of an explosive device on a flight, an airport union said today.

Transport Workers Union (TWU) airport organiser Glenn Nightingale said Virgin Blue had not trained its workers in security procedures.

Mr Nightingale said that after an incident last month in which white powder was found on board a Virgin Blue flight he had met with Virgin's management and asked for security and evacuation training.

"That has not occurred," he said.

Mr Nightingale said the union had met two weeks ago with Prime Minister John Howard to ask for the government and federal police to take control of security training for 10,000 airport workers at the airport.

He rejected suggestions that the union or a union member had deliberately planted the device as a warning.

"That's nonsense, absolutely nonsense," he said.

Are we supposed to think that some thickhead put this in the baggage hold for a joke? If not what was their intention?

A rather interesting and provocative way to make one’s point?

Methinks some disgruntled baggage loader in Maroochydore or Sydney is in for a lot of strife…

Edited to include the following:
It turns out to be a homemade firecracker belonging to a 13-year-old boy in checked baggage.

My humble apologies to the baggage handlers and union for my insinuations.

[BrownHolerPoler]

Explosives on airline a 'hoax'
September 23, 2004 - 11:50AM

An incendiary device found aboard a Virgin Blue plane at Sydney airport was a fake designed to look like a real bomb and could have been planted as a stunt, the federal government said today.

The discovery of the device, later identified by NSW police as containing thermite, a flammable compound used in some types of grenades, resulted in a major security breach when it was taken off the plane by a baggage handler and carried into the terminal.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) confirmed today an investigation was underway into the incident on a Virgin Blue 737-300 jet on Monday. The plane had originated from the Sunshine Coast airport at Maroochydore.

Virgin Blue's head of commercial operations David Huttner said the baggage handler who found the device had not followed proper procedure.

"The guy who informed the APS (Australian Protective Service) took the device to them," Mr Huttner said. "While he was trying to do the right thing he didn't follow procedures properly.

However, the airline had informed the APS within 15 minutes of finding the device. The airline believed an airport worker could have been responsible, and probably meant for the device to be found.

"We believe it was an airport worker with an agenda," Mr Huttner said. "It (the device) was not something that goes boom, it was something that burns which means somebody had to be there to light it."

Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister John Anderson today said it was not a terrorist act and security would have picked up a terrorist bomb.

"At this stage on my advice you are not looking at something that could have potentially blown a plane out of the air having got through security," he said on the John Laws radio program.

"... the judgment was formed that this was a hoax."

He later told ABC radio: "It's not a serious bomb; it's made to look like one." However, it appeared there had been a breakdown of security protocol, Mr Anderson said.

"The more I think about this, the more I have to say that I feel I can be reasonably confident ... our mechanisms would have picked up a serious bomb or a serious terrorist, they wouldn't have got through," Mr Anderson told ABC radio.

"That leads me to the conclusion that someone has done something extremely stupid and inappropriate for reasons not yet understood and we need to get to the bottom of it.

"This increasingly has the look about it of someone having placed it there, who was not a terrorist but was in a position of trust and should have known better...."

Unions have been critical of the government over airport security in the lead-up to next month's federal election.

But Transport Workers Union airport organiser Glenn Nightingale rejected any notion that one of its members was behind the breach.

"That's nonsense, absolutely nonsense," Mr Nightingale told Sydney radio 2UE.

Virgin Blue had not trained its workers in security procedures, he said. "They're not trained. They wouldn't know what a bomb, or a typical home-made bomb or a professional bomb looks like."

Labor transport spokesman Marn Ferguson said the key concerns related to how the device got aboard the plane in the major security breach.

"And worse still, if there was a prank, how were those responsible allowed to get away with this prank," he told ABC radio.

Sydney Airport Corporation Limited today said it had carried out its security responsibilities appropriately in relation to the incident.

And Maroochydore Shire Council, which owns and operates the Sunshine Coast airport, today said responsibility for security rested with the airlines and Airservices Australia - not with them.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

[Wirraway]

Fri 'The Australian"

Virgin's hoax bomb labelled a stunt
Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
September 24, 2004

A HOAX bomb found in the hold of a Virgin Blue Boeing 737 and mistakenly taken into a Sydney Airport terminal on Monday, was placed on the airline after it landed.

Authorities investigating who planted the "bomb", a toilet roll with a fireworks sparkler attached, also believe the incident was a stunt.

Transport Minister John Anderson said yesterday he could not rule out a member of a union being responsible.

"At the very least you'd have to say this is not an action by a terrorist," he told Sydney radio station 2UE. "It was plainly designed to look like a bomb.

"So someone or some group of people have done a very inappropriate, a very stupid thing and, if we can get to the bottom of who it was, then they ought to suffer the full wrath of the law."

Unions have been critical of the federal Government's security policies and the training provided for airport workers.

But the accusations of a union campaign brought an angry retort from the Transport Workers Union, which described it as "ludicrous and an insult to workers at Sydney Airport".

"It's some wannabe terrorist, some weirdo," said TWU airport organiser Glenn Nightingale. "We'll work with the federal police and hopefully these people will be caught." Mr Nightingale said the incident highlighted inadequate emergency procedures at Virgin.

"The workers are not appropriately trained in any security or incident response of who to contact or what to do," he said.

Virgin Blue's head of commercial operations David Huttner said the airline believed the device was planted by an airport worker "with an agenda".

"It (the device) was not something that goes boom, it was something that burns, which means somebody had to be there to light it." A baggage handler unloading Virgin flight DJ-474 from Maroochydore on Monday uncovered a plastic bag containing the hoax bomb. The roll was originally believed to be filled with the incendiary material thermite but a federal police spokesman said yesterday there was no evidence "at this stage" to suggest the item contained explosives.

The handler breached protocol by taking the package into the terminal where it is believed to have been handled by at least three people before it was brought to the attention of the federal police. The aircraft was also allowed to leave and flew to Ballina, in rural NSW, and back before it was searched.

While NSW police say they were not informed of the incident until almost two hours later, Virgin said it told Australian Protective Service officers within 15 minutes of the object's discovery.

The federal police spokesman said an APS bomb appraisal officer assessed the item and requested the attendance of NSW police. "Response times were in accordance with operational protocols established between relevant agencies," he said.

==========================================
Fri "The Age"

Jet hoax exposes lapse in security
By Alexandra Smith, Brendan Nicholson
Angela O'Connor
September 24, 2004

Many contract airport workers at Australian airports have no air security identification cards, even though the Federal Government ordered major checks 18 months ago.

The lapse has been exposed by an apparent hoax in which explosive material was placed in the cargo hold of a Virgin airliner this week.

Transport Minister John Anderson said the Australian Federal Police were investigating the discovery of an incendiary device in the plane's hold at Sydney Airport on Monday morning.

The device consisted of a cardboard toilet roll tube packed with the explosive thermite and made of aluminium dust and iron oxide. Attached to it was a sparkler.

Investigators are trying to track down who put it there.

They also want to know why the baggage handler who found it took it into a terminal in breach of security, and why the aircraft was then allowed to take off without a thorough search.

A Transport Workers Union senior airline official, Glenn Nightingale, said the incident highlighted the inadequacies of security, staff training and incident handling procedures at Sydney Airport.

Mr Nightingale said the union had been concerned since the September 11 atrocity in the US about identification cards, particularly for contract airport staff who could work with a visitor's pass rather than an air security card.

The security cards allow airport workers unsupervised entry into secure areas of airports, while contractors without the cards who need access to secure areas are meant to be supervised by a card holder, the union says.

Mr Anderson's spokesman rejected the union claim last night, saying no casual workers had unsupervised access to sensitive areas such as tarmacs or aircraft holds.

Virgin Blue's head of commercial operations, David Huttner, said the airline believed an airport worker was responsible for this week's incident.

He said the device, in a plastic bag, was not passenger baggage. There was no other explanation for it being in the cargo hold.

The hoax has triggered a tightening of security procedures at airports across Australia.

A baggage handler found the device in an unmarked plastic bag and carried it into a passenger terminal.

The aircraft had arrived from Maroochydore, but it is not clear if the package was loaded there or in Sydney.

Mr Anderson said he was sure the device was part of a hoax and not a terrorist attack, but lessons would be learned and changes made.

"We seek to close off every loophole as it appears," he said.

He said the federal Transport Department was training baggage handlers further.

The episode appeared to be a foolish or an illegal act, but not an act of terrorism.

The baggage handler thought he knew best when he carried the device into the terminal to hand it to security staff.

"He should have just obeyed his superior," Mr Anderson said.

But he said the fact that the baggage handler found the device proved the system was working.

A distinction had to be drawn between terrorists and people trying to make a point or trying to big-note themselves, he said.

Investigators are confident the explosive material was placed aboard the Virgin jet by an airport worker with a security clearance.

All staff with access to security areas must have a proper identification card, which requires background checks by ASIO. The Government says 58,000 checks have been carried out so far without any worker emerging as a possible threat.

· The Maritime Union of Australia has written to the Prime Minister complaining about a "flag of convenience" ship carrying potentially explosive ammonium nitrate. The union's assistant national secretary, Mick Doleman, said the use of such vessels to carry dangerous cargo was a threat to national security.

The Singapore-registered Protesilaus Union was due to leave Newcastle today with 1800 tonnes of the fertiliser on board. Ammonium nitrate was the main ingredient of the Oklahoma City bomb, which killed 168 people in 1995.

===========================================

[Buster Hyman]

HGW. Sorry, my point was they claim it took 15 mins after it was found, to alert APS, not 15 mins to empty the hold , find it & alert.

So, our lesson is that we have to be really alert on slow news days!:suspect:

[TIMMEEEE]

Icarus 2001.

Yes you are partially correct in my assessment of the situation, but credit where credit is due.
If VB didnt stuff up in such a huge way I wouldnt be on here criticising their actions or lack thereof.

This was a paramount stuff up of epic proportions.
It also showed a total lack of leadership from VB management in neglecting to provide the adequate training to their staff/contractors.
It is incumbent upon VB to provide that training and to provide a duty of care to not only staff but also passengers that were clearly put at risk needlessly.
To quote you Icarus,


As for baggage handlers carrying a bag to the terminal for Xray. Think about the logic here, they carry hundreds of bags to the terminal every day. Loose bags, boxes and packages often show up on the carousel. What would cause them to think this knotted bag was any different?

The fact is that the object was made to look like what it was - an explosive device.

This was obviously a suspicious object.
To top it all off Icarus 2001 it didnt have any consignment note attached or accompanying paperwork which would make even a layman wondering what an obviously exposed sparkler is doing attached at one end of a suspicious article??????

Throw me a frigging bone Icarus!!!

Having a background in chemistry I can tell you that the substance inside, thermite, would have burned through the fuselage with the greatest of ease looking at the melting point of aluminium.
If for whatever reason it was to ignite, the results would have been disastrous to say the least, but officials wont come straight out and say that.
It also would have caused a fire incinerating whatever else was in the hold if ignited.

The aircraft structure would have melted as surely as did the wax on the wings of both Icarus and Deadalus in greek mythology.

To quote one paper it turns out that some of VB's contract staff are working airside without proper ASIC cards which are now a mandatory requirement.
VB could be find alot of money for multiple breaches if true.

Yes, VB were negligent in terms of lack of training of staff.
Even you cannot deny this Icarus.
The sad fact is that nobody in VB will admit fault or take blame.

To quote todays Telegraph in Sydney,

The issue was the subject of heated discussions across the aviation and law enforcement industry yesterday. The Daily Telegraph has learned:

WORKCOVER will today serve Virgin Blue airlines with formal written notice to immediately train staff on handling potential bombs threats, or face prosecution;

No airline is perfect and they all make mistakes, but when its done on such a grand scale with such a litany of mistakes exposed and stupidity exercised then even blind freddy must sit up and start asking themselves a few questions.

Interesting to see how Brett Godfrey covers his arse on the one.

[ShesGreatintheGalley]

'Bomb' a homemade firecracker
September 24, 2004

A SUSPICIOUS device found in the baggage compartment of a Virgin Blue flight turned out to be a homemade firecracker a teenager had put in his luggage, Australian Federal Police said today.

An AFP spokeswoman said a teenage boy was interviewed today and identified the firecracker after investigating officers showed it to him.

She said after interviewing the teenager the AFP was satisfied there had been no threat and there was no malicious intent.

No charges would be laid, she said.

"The AFP investigation into the discovery of suspect item ... has been finalised," the spokeswoman said.

"AFP officers interviewed a young teenager who identified the suspect item as a homemade firecracker that he was carrying in his luggage on the flight from Maroochydore to Sydney.

"Police are satisfied that this firecracker posed no threat to the aircraft and that there were no malicious intent.

"The AFP will not be taking any action ... he's not going to be charged."

Baggage handlers discovered the device in a knotted plastic bag along with matches in the cargo hold of a Virgin Blue jet on Monday, sparking a major security scare.

AAP

:mad: this is absolutley disgusting that this kid wont be charged for carrying a DG on an aircraft which is a threat to the aircraft.. and also that the media dont seem to care or state that DGs shouldnt be carried on planes! Even the Box matches are forbidden!

It angers me because idiots will read this now and believe its ok to pack fireworks in their luggage!

[BrownHolerPoler]

Hey , SGITG if you hadn't done your 5-minute Intro to Dangerous Goodies course you'd be just as ignorant.

I think you should calm down... (http://www.moviewavs.com/cgi-bin/mp3s.cgi?Anger_Management=calmdown.mp3) :eek: :*



:zzz:

[MOR]

If you want to see ignorant, have a look at TIMMEEEEs post.

If VB didnt stuff up in such a huge way... ...This was a paramount stuff up of epic proportions.

Oh, please. One employee made an ill-judged but properly-intentioned move. No harm was done. Nobody was hurt. Nobody COULD have been hurt. What a complete drama queen!

You think anybody half-serious about planting a working bomb is going to leave it in the open? No chance. It will be hidden in baggage, or made to look innocent.

It also showed a total lack of leadership from VB management in neglecting to provide the adequate training to their staff/contractors. It is incumbent upon VB to provide that training and to provide a duty of care to not only staff but also passengers that were clearly put at risk needlessly.


Not at all like the complete lack of judgement shown when that 747 went sailing off the end at BKK... oh but of course that is QF and they NEVER stuff up, do they...

Having a background in chemistry I can tell you that the substance inside, thermite, would have burned through the fuselage with the greatest of ease looking at the melting point of aluminium.

Indeed. If by some miracle, the bomb managed to light itself, having grown a pair of arms and an understanding of how matches worked, not to mention an understanding of the passage of time, it would have burned fiercely for a few seconds and then would have fallen through the hole in the skin it had just created. Assuming the aircraft involved had hold fire suppression, the probable scenario is a decompression. Of course, the decompression would have helped put any residual fire out.

The aircraft structure would have melted as surely as did the wax on the wings of both Icarus and Deadalus in greek mythology.

Complete bollocks (see above). Nice contradiction on your part, though.

The sad fact is that nobody in VB will admit fault or take blame.

Guess they learned that from Qantas, the world masters of ducking and diving.

BTW I have no particular opinions on any Aussie airline. Don't live there.

I mean, even for someone with a such maelevolent hatred of VB, you seem to have little or no understanding of security. I have spent my entire airline career working in countries where the threat of terrorism has been a part of daily life for the last twenty years or so, and they have learned to deal with it effectively. I have twice found myself commanding aircraft where ATC have informed us of a bomb threat against our aircraft, with all the subsequent drama (and paperwork) that entails.

Have any aircraft been lost in these countries to terrorist action? Nope. were the loaders in these countries trained in bomb recognition and subsequent procedures? No.

Now go and sit quietly and see if you can figure out the implications of all that...

[lame1]

MOR ,how wrong can one be.That object was extremely dangerous and if it had caught on fire,would have caused the a/c to crash.The fact that it was highly flammable would have increased the intensity of the fire in the hold,resulting in ONE LARGE FIRE.

[BrownHolerPoler]

A fire that size isn't that big a deal. Stop crying you lot of sooks.
:rolleyes: :*

:hmm:



:zzz:

[lame1]

Brown
I gather you really believe the extinguishing system fitted would save your bacon.Your probably the same guy who flies around all day with reportable defects but doesnt bother to enter them till the end of flying

[Deaf]

Something seriously distorted here:

."AFP officers interviewed a young teenager who identified the suspect item as a homemade firecracker that he was carrying in his luggage on the flight from Maroochydore to Sydney"

"thermite, a flammable compound used in some types of grenades"

AFAIK, Thermite, mixture of Fe***and Al***, difficult to ignite, used for incendiary devices (bombs yes, grenades? maybe WP) and welding. While it burns quite well when ignited and can be described as being like a volcano I have some problem with the firecracker idea.

Maybe the assorted experts (including the "young teenager") didn't have a clue. Now when I was a young teenager.....

[Icarus2001]

Timmeee you make a great deal of claims about how this package appeared and where it was stowed. Are you 100% sure of your facts?

[mootyman]

Mor
I reckon you would have seen the schoolyard trick of standing on top of the coke tin and it holding your weight until tapping the side of it, well your little hole that would have burned straight through the skin would have the same effect on the aircraft structure. I say bust this kids ass, even at the most remote airstrips they have posters plastered everywhere on DG awareness

[BrownHolerPoler]

yeah juss seen wunna dem pancy postuhs 'as bin put up at dat tjuntjuntjarra pless, mett!

We know all about deegees now, brudduh!

[Wirraway]

Sat "Sydney Morning Herald"

Virgin's blue: it was boy's cracker
By John Garnaut
September 25, 2004

The device that sparked a security scare on a Virgin Blue plane was a homemade firecracker belonging to a 13-year-old boy.

Unionists had stood accused of planting it as a hoax to highlight deficiencies in their security training, but now federal police have spoken to the boy - and say the matter is in the hands of his parents. The boy identified the firecracker when officers showed it to him yesterday.

"It was more of a representation of a firecracker," a federal police spokesman said. "Even if you put a cigarette lighter to it, it wouldn't have blown up."

No further action would be taken and no charges laid.

The matter was now in the hands of the boy's parents, the spokesman said.

It appears it fell out of the boy's sports bag during the flight from Maroochydore to Sydney last Monday. The Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister, John Anderson, refused to apologise to transport unions for saying he suspected an inside job by airport workers. Of the boy, he said: "I dare say he has learnt the lesson of his life but there will be no action taken against him."

He said no screening equipment, from anywhere in the world, could have detected the device. "Parents . . . have a responsibility to ensure that the contents of their children's luggage does not contravene strict rules," Mr Anderson said.

Virgin Blue's head of commercial operations, David Huttner, who earlier said he believed the device was planted by "an airport worker with an agenda", yesterday said Virgin looked forward to reviewing the report.

Mr Huttner said Virgin was supporting the authorities when it was suggested that an airport worker was to blame.

with AAP

=======================================

[BrownHolerPoler]

Yeah we already read that thanks.......... :rolleyes:

[MOR]

lame1

if it had caught on fire,would have caused the a/c to crash.The fact that it was highly flammable would have increased the intensity of the fire in the hold,resulting in ONE LARGE FIRE.

You have no idea at all what you are talking about. How exactly would it have caused the aircraft to crash? It was found sitting on the fuselage skin. Having burned a hole in that, and fallen through it, how does it then cause the aircraft to crash? Aircraft have sustained enormous damage and continued flying - for example the United 747 that lost most of the forward fusleage skin above the cargo door, or the HS125 that got hit by a SAM and had an engine blown off the airframe. If you really were a LAME, you would know about redundancy in an aircraft structure. And you still haven't explained how this "device" was going to ignite itself... oh and by the way, what does a fire need to sustain itself? And how much of that is there at altitude...???

mootyman

well your little hole that would have burned straight through the skin would have the same effect on the aircraft structure.

What utter crap. Ever seen the Aloha Airlines 737 that lost the top half of the forward fuselage, down as far as the floor? That one kept flying, and landed safely. You will seldom see an aircraft with more damage on it than that.

Here's some pictures for you:

http://www.aloha.net/~icarus/

http://www.airdisaster.com/photos/ua811/photo.shtml

[Uncommon Sense]

No apology

Mr Anderson had denied accusing airport workers of planting a suspect device on the plane earlier this week, and refused to issue an apology.

Before the item was found to be a home-made firecracker, Mr Anderson said he could not rule out the possibility the incident was a union stunt to raise awareness of transport issues.

But now Mr Anderson denies he made that link.

"I didn't say it was the unions, they didn't rule out the possibility either that it might have been an inside job," he said.

Mr Ferguson says the minister has egg on his face.

"John Anderson has sought to cast a slur on the integrity of aviation workers and the unions that represent them but he's proved to be the small man as a result of that incident," he said.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200409/s1206884.htm



So Mr Anderson, was the kid a union stooge? That must be it.

You are an incompetent. Complete disgrace with the skills to match.


Apologise?! ME !!?
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,3600,379322,00.jpg

[HotDog]

So the "bomb" was checked in baggage after all, belonging to a silly little boy. The conspiracy theory goes out the window! Seems like Mr Anderson and a lot of people here, put tounge in motion before engaging brain.:{

[Pinky the pilot]

I just wonder what the filling in this device was that could possibly be thought to be thermite anyway. Could this be yet another ''we don't know the facts so lets invent a story anyway" effort by the media?
All the facts as I have read/heard was that something was found which turned out to be harmless(?):confused:

You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.

[Capt Claret]

I can't agree with sentiments expressing a desire to roast the teenager for all time, not too many of us at the ripe old age of thirteen gave any thought to consequences, so I can't see that this thirteen year old would be any different.

I am curious to know though, how does a thirteen year old get hold of thermite to make a "cracker"?

[HGW]

The fact is that it was not Thermite according to the APS.

Thats the trouble facts get in the way of a good story.

[Dambuster]

Thermite or not,highly explosive or not.
These facts are irrelevant.

What is great is that nobody was injured but alot of important of facts have come to light here.

a. Its clear that this whole debacle showed massive deficiencies in VB's lack of training of ground staff in both recognition of suspicious articles and their handling.

b. There was clearly lack of co-ordination between VB staff, airport authorities and the AFP/NSW State Police bomb squad.

c. Certain ground staff (contractors) didnt have ASIC cards but were wearing visitor passes until their credentials could be ascertained.

Perhaps what is needed here is for VB to have its own dedicated security division that would be responsible for not only the ongoing training to all staff,but would be proactive in handling things such as bomb threats,their relevant assessment thereof and co-ordination of procedures when it comes to these incidents.
On a more daily basis they would handle security passes for staff and access to sensitive security areas by contractors etc.

All required now is for the shareholders and management of Virgin Blue to put their hands in their pockets.

[HGW]

Dambuster

It was the AFP who didn't call the NSW Police. VB followed the Airport porcedure which is call the AFP who call the Police. That argument is between them and nothing to do with VB.

Contractors are allowed to be in Restricted areas with visitor passes as they are issued by the Airport Authority, same as the TWU reps are on the airport with the same passes. You would have to ban them also.

The staff are trained, thats how they realised it was a suspicious item. The trained and documented procedures were not followed.

WorkCover has asked for all staff to be re-trained with the same training course and material which is happenning although it was carried out only 2 months ago. The training is adequate otherwise they would have demanded it be changed. It is exactly the same as Qantas as it was developed by all airlines.

Remember this is the same media who reported it was an airline worker and the AFP said they had names of suspects from the airline then low and behold a confession from a 13 year old boy. All VB ramp staff were under suspicion including management. I think they deserve an apology as does the TWU.

[amos2]

But, of course, the main issue here is that the A/C departed without being subject to further examination, which also means that the Captain and First officer were obviously not advised of the so called "bomb" that had been found on their aircraft.

That to me is the major concern!

[HGW]

Correct.
Procedures were not followed due to human error not bad training. I would say it is taken more seriously now.

[Brutus]

Woomera,

I dont mean to second quess your moderating, but IMHO, I think Timmees post needs to be edited.

Posting the specific procedure of identifying a suspicious article is probably a bad idea. It does nothing to improve security.

Not only that, but the HOT Principle alluded to is probably Security-in-Confidence, possibly Commercial-in-Confidence as well.

At the risk of being an old woman, could you please chop it out.

Cheers.

[TIMMEEEE]

HGW, yes there was definitely human error involved but when the ACTU take legal action to ensure that adequate training is provided then even I sit up and take notice.

Carrying a suspect device or suspicious article into a crowded terminal area reeks of that lack of training mentioned.


Brutus, no need to seek Woomera's action as its been done by your request.
As for it being "security in confidence" I could find no reference, especially on the widely circulated reference cards, one of which I found in an aerobridge after it had been walked over by god knows how many punters !!!

This priciple is widely used worldwide by a number of airlines.

[Brutus]

Timmee,

The following is a cut and paste.

AIR NAVIGATION ACT 1920 - SECT 22P
Aviation security program
(1)
For the purposes of this Division, an aviation security program of an aircraft operator is a program that describes the equipment to be used, and sets out the procedures to be followed, by the operator for each of the following purposes in relation to aircraft operated by the operator:
(a)
preventing the unlawful carriage on an aircraft of the operator of:
(i)
any weapon; or
(ii)
any other thing that may endanger the safety of the aircraft or of any people or property on board the aircraft;

There is more re communications and grounding of a/c but I won't bore you with it.

VB were in breach of their own program by not following correct suspicious article procedures. (Taking it into the terminal) 200 Penalty units.
They were also in breach of the same program by not communicating to all the required authorities. (Failed to inform SACL) 200 Penalty units.
They were in breach again by taking the a/c for a fly. In these circumstances the a/c can only be released by the Secretary. Unspecified Penalty units - Penalty to be determined by DOTARS.

Timmee, you were in breach by making public part of an operators Aviation Secrutiy Program. The information you published here is not in the public domain. Your operators security program will contain the words Security-in-Confidence at the top and bottom of each page. Penalty - a severe bout of hand wringing and soul searching. ala VB.

[quim]

Brutus, in so far as the information published by 'ol Tim there, it was common sense. Any non infidel worth 'is salt will have figured that stuff out anyway.

As far as VB is concerned? Shut 'em down. They are a mob of incompetant fools.

[HotDog]

What does incompetant mean:confused:

[MOR]

It means the Virgin-hating poster above is even more incompetent than those he (or she) derides... :rolleyes:

[Sunfish]

I can only think that this is anti VB rubbish for a number of reasons. For a start, anyone care to check Dambusters posting history? No friend of VB!

Second, ignorance and misinformation!

IF thermite was ignited in an aircraft hold it might very well start a major blaze, it burns hot enough!

However If a hole was burned through the skin of an aircraft nothing will happen apart from depressurisation to some level commensurate with the size of the hole and the bleed air available. Pressurised Jets have tear straps bonded into their structure and one of the tests done when certifying the aircraft involves making a one metre tear in the skin of a fully pressurised aircraft. There must be no structural failure.


This was a "prank" by a 13 year old kid who needs his backside publicly tanned.

I'm sick of these cheap shots at VB by people who are scared of losing their jobs because they work for a dinosaur.

Furthermore, give VB a break! As someone who years ago actually loaded 727\'s and 737\'s (staff labor during a strike) the variety of stuff you have to load is just amazing - coffins, bicycles, golf clubs, whatever. No one has any time to check whats being loaded and unless you were able to hear the sound of very loud ticking over the APU noise or see the little red LED display with the numbers counting down that all TV terrorists bombs have. You would have absolutely no idea what is in the bags you load.

Any smartarse whatsoever can plant a few sparklers in their golf bag along with matches and an alarm clock and then claim "see! I got a bomb on board an aircraft!" Give VB a break!

[Manwell]

Does anyone else think that we've all gone a little hysterical since Sept 11?

Is this how we refuse to accede to the terrorists, by going paranoid and crippling our transport infrastructure?

Perhaps it's time to calm down, take a few deep breaths, and think, rationally.

Our current behaviour is exactly the sort of distraction that someone intends, it staggers belief that we are so gullible to fail to identify the stupidity of behaving like chooks with their heads cut off! And for what? A firecracker? If that's what it really is.

Or how about turning around a 74 because someone wrote BOB on a sickbag.

The terrorists would be laughing themselves to the point of tears.

The thing that concerns me is why our gov seems so keen to fan the paranoia.

Don't lose your heads boys.

[itchybum]

Fan the paranoia. Instill and maintain fear amongst the populace. Successfully introduce more controls on same populace in the name of anti-terror measures. More easily approve funding for measures or others. Keep themselves in power. What was this thread about again.....

:E

[Manwell]

Phew! So you are suspicious too Itchy!

For a minute there I thought I was losing my mind.

So it is just about everyone else who have lost the plot, including our fearless leaders, that's reassuring.

What was that saying about getting the government we deserve?

It makes you feel so isolated when everyone else is losing their head and you stubbornly refuse to join them.

And I thought that's what pilots were good at.....?

You other guys are pilots aren't you?

[Pinky the pilot]

Itchybum; Exactly! Stand by for the next lot of legislation banning more chemicals/fertiliser/guns/whatever!:mad:
How did the old saying go, something about divide and conquer.....?

You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.

[The_Cutest_of_Borg]

Sunfish, I think what caught my eye and a lot of other observers is the handling of this incident by VB's management.

I cannot say that a QF baggage handler would not have made the same error as the VB guy, nor could I guarantee 100% that this device would not have been brought into the QF terminal for a run through the X-ray machine.

I know what training people recieve at QF and I can say that it is unlikely, but that is all.

Having said that, I really doubt you would have seen QF management alledging all sort of conspiracy theories hours after the device was found. Instead, there would have seen some sort of beige statement about an investigation underway... blah blah blah.

David Huttner's wild accusations hours after the incident speak for themselves. It took them a day to finally realise what should have been done immediately and issue the press release that QF PR would have issued an hour after the incident.

I can also say that the aircraft would have been searched thoroughly before being cleared back to the line.

Criticism of VB? Hardly. Criticism of VB's management... definitely.

[MOR]

Well this sort of thing is only to be expected in a (relatively) new airline. It is how the procedures get tested and streamlined. There will always be problems the first time it happens. Aviation is a constant fine-tuning process, much more so for newer airlines.

Still trying to get my head around how you can criticise VB management without actually criticising VB... seeing as how the management define the company... seems a remarkable bit of sophistry to me.

[HotDog]

What a big :mad: deal! A plastic bag falls out of a piece of baggage; the loadies pick it up and give it to Securair. They X-ray it and pronounce it as an incediary device. Everybody flies into panick mode, then it is pronounced as a fizzer. In the meantime, a lot of armchair experts pronounce dire predictions of terrorism and company ineptitude. Give us a brake mates and stop w:mad: g!

[Manwell]

Whoa back there Hot Dog!

Sit! Good boy.

I think the point is that nobody went into panic mode, they saw a pretty harmless device, showed some people, but didn't hit the alarm bells.

Incredibly mature and sensible, -that's the problem. Some people don't want a mature and sensible response to this sort of incident, much preferring an overreaction.

This preference for overreaction is what is making me very suspicious about our response to terrorism. I don't like being hassled by terrorists, but I would like it even less if our own people are using terrorism to advance their own agenda.

Methinks they doth protest too much!

Life's a bitch, then you fly!

[lame1]

We were all lucky that it was a prank.
QF arent angels believe me.Just the other night,last flight to syd,everyone rushing you have all been there.Well what happened blew me away.Some paxs failed to board the a/c ,so the aft hold was opened and the bag search began.they found the bags but they also found another bag that had no id on it.You ask yourself what did they do,well the answer was nothing.Until i refused to let the a/c depart and also informed the flight crew.The captain thanked me for notifying him,the plane departed safely.

[Wirraway]

AAP

Airport hits back at claims
18:21 AEST Wed Sep 29 2004

Sydney Airport on Wednesday said security training of baggage handlers was up to individual airlines, following a second bomb scare at the airport in as many weeks.

The NSW Transport Workers Union (TWU) said baggage handlers who were ordered to remove a potential bomb from a Singapore Airlines aircraft on Monday had no security training and did not know how to deal with suspicious packages.

But a spokeswoman for Sydney Airport said it was not the airport's responsibility to train baggage handlers.

"The training comes down to the individual airlines who have contracted baggage handlers," she said.

"The baggage handling doesn't fall within our jurisdiction, it is the responsibility of the individual airline."

TWU secretary Tony Sheldon said a man boarding a Singapore Airlines flight on Monday joked that there was a bomb in his luggage.

Officials responded by ordering baggage handling staff with no security training to remove the luggage from the aircraft and re-scan it, he said.

"They just turned around ... rang downstairs and asked the baggage handlers, required the baggage handlers, to go in and retrieve a bag out of the plane hold and with a position that possibly it was a bomb."

The scare follows an incident on a Virgin Blue flight from Maroochydore to Sydney, on September 20, in which baggage handlers discovered a device and matches in a knotted plastic bag in the cargo hold of the jet.

A handler removed the device from the plane and took it into the airport terminal, but it subsequently turned out to be a harmless homemade firecracker belonging to a 13-year-old boy.

On Wednesday, a spokeswoman for Singapore Airlines said the airline took the safety of passengers extremely seriously.

"All comments regarding explosive or other dangerous devices or materials will be treated with the due diligence and attention they demand," she said.

But she also said that training was not Singapore Airlines' responsibility.

"Singapore Airlines contracts Qantas to provide ground and baggage-handling arrangements in Australia, including at Sydney Airport," she said.

"Baggage handling training is the responsibility of, and is managed by, Qantas."

The airport spokeswoman confirmed there was no central body to coordinate security training - something the TWU are pushing for with a series of stopwork meetings held over the last two days.

"There was a threat of a bomb being in a bag and still no coordinating body, no training and baggage handlers are being sent in to retrieve bombs, potentially bombs, from planes," Mr Sheldon said.

"It's like sending canaries down a mineshaft, in this case it's real people."

Qantas said it did not discuss its security measures but confirmed all its ground staff underwent comprehensive security training.

©AAP 2004

===========================================

[itchybum]

Security at airport a sick joke, says union
By Sean Berry
October 10, 2004
The Sun-Herald

The Virgin Blue firecracker bomb scare was the third of its kind at Sydney Airport in just two years, yet most airport staff still have no emergency training.

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) has listed security threats and scares, including three bomb-like devices, and is calling for sweeping reform at the airport.

The union says untrained staff have:  Moved a possible bomb with a forklift;  Put a tongue on a potential bomb to see if it was real;  Kicked a box full of unknown chemicals;  Sent baggage handlers onto a plane to pick up a bag they thought contained a bomb.

"The recent revelations of what happened to Virgin Flight DJ-474 from Maroochydore made it abundantly clear that ground security arrangements at Sydney Airport are a sick joke," TWU state secretary Tony Sheldon said.

"Three years since September 11 and two years since Bali and there is still no single national co-ordinating authority responsible for setting and enforcing international best practice security arrangements in our aviation industry."

During last month's Virgin scare, nearby planes continued to be refuelled with highly flammable jet fuel, even after baggage handlers had alerted authorities to the presence of a possible bomb.

"There is just no overall system in place to deal with this - the baggage handlers might be following an emergency procedure, while the fuel tanker drivers, through no fault of their own, could have set off a catastrophe," union airport organiser Glenn Nightingale said.

"Generally the only screening on domestic baggage is occasional random checks."

A Sydney Airport Corporation spokeswoman said the airport was responsible for co-ordinating emergency services but not for airline employee training.

"We do have ongoing negotiations with the union about security issues and the airport is a co-ordinating body for emergencies and incidents," she said.

Mr Sheldon said only 500 workers at the domestic terminal had had training on emergency procedures; thousands had had no training at all.