Avalon airport scare

[rocket66]

Just watching the news. Police say they recieved a threat of some sort. Any boys and girls on the ground down there got any more details?

Rocket.

[Teal]

VicPol have closed the entrance roads to the airport off the freeway. No airport evacuation though at this stage.

Police statement:


Victoria Police are currently responding to an anonymous threat made against two Melbourne airports. Police are assessing the threat and working closely with the AFP and airport security to ensure community safety


The second airport ID is unknown.

[rocket66]

Let's hope the other isn't tullamarine?

[The Green Goblin]

I suppose one of the Pilots down there just saw the Jetstar contract and totally lost it!!

[framer]

UPDATE 3.05pm: POLICE have slammed a hoax threat that resulted in officers swarming over Melbourne and Avalon airports this morning.

Assistant Commissioner Andrew Crisp said this afternoon that police "reasonably believed" the threat was a hoax.
"We get threat information quite regularly. However, when it comes to threats involving aviation we take them extremely seriously," Mr Crisp said.
"Anything in relation to aviation should be taken seriously.
"It's irresponsible."
He said police had boosted numbers at the airports in the wake of the scare.
Mr Crisp said the airports made the decision to continue with scheduled flights.
Letters warning of a threat to Avalon and Tullamarine airports were sent to the Herald Sun and other Melbourne media outlets this morning.
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The threat was explicit and talked about the exact weapons that would be used.
The Herald Sun has chosen not to reveal the full contents of the letter after a request from Victoria Police.
Police have visited the offices of the Herald Sun and taken both the letter and the envelope it was sent in for fingerprinting.
A security expert says the threat highlights the vulnerabilities of Australian airports.
Homeland Security Asia/Pacific director Roger Henning said the incident shows Australian airports are vulnerable to attack because of lax security “airside".
Mr Henning said passengers and staff underwent security checks at the gates, but the tarmac was being breached.
He said the risk to airports was real with 60 known people living in Australia who had trained with extremist groups overseas.
And others who were disgruntled with authorities or unstable also posed a threat, he said.
“These things cannot be anticipated,’’ he said.
“There is a desperate need to improve the security culture.’’
Avalon CEO Justin Giddings said police advised the airport of a "non-specific’’ threat against it about 9am.
He said he didn’t believe the scare was a bomb threat.
"It’s extremely rare. It’s business as usual,’’ Mr Giddings said.
"We have increased security. There have been no cancellations, no delays, terminal evacuations or road closures.’’
A Channel 9 helicopter pilot hovering over the scene at Avalon said the incident did not appear to have affected airport operations, despite at least six police cars at the scene.
“It doesn’t appear the roads are blocked, but there is a heavy police presence,” the Channel Nine pilot Ross Barker told his network.
Jetstar and Qantas maintenance facilities are based at the airport.
A Qantas spokesman said no Qantas or Jetstar flights had been cancelled.
He said he was not aware of any passengers cancelling flight tickets in the wake of the scare.
"It's business as usual," he said.
Threats to the safety of aviation is a specific offence, which attracts up to five years' jail.
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[Buster Hyman]

Interesting that this comes the day after an announcement about disbanding VicPol's Anti Terrorism Squad (http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/overland-rejects-warnings-on-antiterror-squad-20110517-1ercs.html)....:hmm:

[Jethro Gibbs]

Interesting that Forstaff / Qantas staff at maintenance Hangars did not even get told they heard it on the radio at lunch time #fail :ugh:

[Wally Mk2]

Jesus 'Buster I hope ya haven't hit on something there! Doesn't look good.

The trouble with any security at airports is that it's not foolproof. Any determined terrorist could get thru to an aircraft, that's the easy bit. We are just lucky that here in Oz I'd say we are of low priority for a 'hit' in the world scheme of things. What surrounds our major airports? A soft wire chain mesh fence often obscured by vegetation:ugh:
We do our best I guess & that's all anyone can do.


Wmk2

[Bell_Flyer]

We do our best I guess & that's all anyone can do.

Unfortunately we don't even do that. If you listen to this podcast between Richard Fidler and Allan Kessing you will hear terrible evidence about our baggage handlers, private security people etc all with known criminal records working in the airport sterile areas and carrying on drug smuggling activities. He says Sydney airport is a shopping centre with runways, no CCTV (hence bikie fights resulting in death in the passenger terminal were not recorded) and so forth. You can listen to it here.

Allan Kessing - ABC Conversations with Richard Fidler (http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/04/04/3181209.htm)

Scary stuff.

[Buster Hyman]

Jesus 'Buster I hope ya haven't hit on something there! Doesn't look good.
I hope so too Wally. I doubt it though, but it wouldn't take much for people to think that.

terrible evidence about our baggage handlers, private security people etc all with known criminal records
After Ansett's collapse, at a time I was taking any work offered, I successfully got a gig as a ticket inspector on the trains. Strangely enough, at a bout 3 days in, they announced that Police checks for criminal records was going to happen the next day. Sure enough, at least half never came back!