Airport rage on increase
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Airport rage on increase
Tues "The Australian" Late News 18/6/02
Airport rage on increase: unions
June 18, 2002
A DARWIN airport screener was punched and assaulted in the latest example of airport rage which is spreading across the country, unions have revealed.
They warned an increasing number of airport security guards were becoming the victims of abuse from passengers who were unaware of proper security requirements and faced unexpected queues and delays when checking in for flights.
Liquor, Hospitality, Miscellaneous Workers' Union (LHMU) airport security official Jo-anne Schofield said incidents of violence against airport guards had increased noticeably since security standards were tightened after the September 11 terrorist attacks last year.
While security commitments had increased, there had been a lack of publicity about the new requirements, causing friction between passengers and staff trying to do their job, Ms Schofield said.
"Our members from Darwin to Launceston are copping abuse because governments, airports, airlines and security companies are not taking seriously their responsibility to educate the travelling public about the need for higher security standards," she said.
In the latest attack, a female airport screener at Darwin airport was punched and assaulted by an angry taxi-driver last week because he did not want to conform to new airport security standards.
The taxi driver swore at the security guard as she worked at the Darwin Airport passenger screening point.
Police are investigating the incident but unions say without proper promotion of airport security requirements the number of incidents was expected to increase.
"Members of the general public are taking their frustration over higher security standards out on our members," Ms Schofield said.
"In the last month we have logged several incidents of foul-mouthed abuse of airport security workers in Launceston and other cities where people are just not patient at screening points.
"We are not convinced that security companies, airports and airlines are treating this issue seriously."
Unions are calling for more protection for workers from violent incidents and for proper counselling and support when incidents take place.
"The union has been campaigning for some time for better signage at all airports informing the public of the new higher standards of security screening and the need to be co-operative with airport screening and security personnel," Ms Schofield said.
Airport rage on increase: unions
June 18, 2002
A DARWIN airport screener was punched and assaulted in the latest example of airport rage which is spreading across the country, unions have revealed.
They warned an increasing number of airport security guards were becoming the victims of abuse from passengers who were unaware of proper security requirements and faced unexpected queues and delays when checking in for flights.
Liquor, Hospitality, Miscellaneous Workers' Union (LHMU) airport security official Jo-anne Schofield said incidents of violence against airport guards had increased noticeably since security standards were tightened after the September 11 terrorist attacks last year.
While security commitments had increased, there had been a lack of publicity about the new requirements, causing friction between passengers and staff trying to do their job, Ms Schofield said.
"Our members from Darwin to Launceston are copping abuse because governments, airports, airlines and security companies are not taking seriously their responsibility to educate the travelling public about the need for higher security standards," she said.
In the latest attack, a female airport screener at Darwin airport was punched and assaulted by an angry taxi-driver last week because he did not want to conform to new airport security standards.
The taxi driver swore at the security guard as she worked at the Darwin Airport passenger screening point.
Police are investigating the incident but unions say without proper promotion of airport security requirements the number of incidents was expected to increase.
"Members of the general public are taking their frustration over higher security standards out on our members," Ms Schofield said.
"In the last month we have logged several incidents of foul-mouthed abuse of airport security workers in Launceston and other cities where people are just not patient at screening points.
"We are not convinced that security companies, airports and airlines are treating this issue seriously."
Unions are calling for more protection for workers from violent incidents and for proper counselling and support when incidents take place.
"The union has been campaigning for some time for better signage at all airports informing the public of the new higher standards of security screening and the need to be co-operative with airport screening and security personnel," Ms Schofield said.
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Having just returned from an overseas trip (USA) where the Security Screesning was excessive to say the least I can see that the passenger behaviour depends largely on the attitude of the security officers. Firstly, passengers have to get to the airport hours ahead of scheduled departure times to allow for the security process and then be directed/ordered by a security officer instead of REQUESTED can start the ball rolling. This situation gets progressively worse when a passenger just wants to get on with the trip and not get undressed at a security point (take off shoes and belt etc
and during this time the departure time is upon him/her.
It may help a little if the union concentrated on the correct personnel for this thankless job as some personality could go a long way and from my observation, some were devoid of this.
Notices in airports may moderately assist but most passengers won't/don't read signs.
and during this time the departure time is upon him/her.It may help a little if the union concentrated on the correct personnel for this thankless job as some personality could go a long way and from my observation, some were devoid of this.
Notices in airports may moderately assist but most passengers won't/don't read signs.
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Whilst I do not condone that sort of behaviour, the attitude of some of these security people leaves a lot to be desired.
Its like they believe they have to be rude and over baring in order to accomplish there job. More like prison warders than people employed to deal with the general public. \
While I am on the subject of rude people at Darwin airport it doesn't finish at security, DIA, whatever their title is now, (ex safety officers) are no better. WE PAY YOU FOR THE SERVICE NOT VICE VERSA.
Its like they believe they have to be rude and over baring in order to accomplish there job. More like prison warders than people employed to deal with the general public. \
While I am on the subject of rude people at Darwin airport it doesn't finish at security, DIA, whatever their title is now, (ex safety officers) are no better. WE PAY YOU FOR THE SERVICE NOT VICE VERSA.
PPRuNe's Paramedic
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I have personally been witness to the abuse the Darwin security personel recieve. One coach driver parked in the ambulance bay and was not available to remove the offending coach. As soon as the ticket book was produced he miraculously appeared for the deep dark depths of the terminal building.
The story was we had a critically ill patient to be transported by the flying roo to Adelaide. The patient was on a ventilator and totally reliant on the machinery he was attatched to. Time to transfer from the ambulance to the aircraft is to be minimal.
For all those patient Q staff (thank you for your patience as we dont have a neurosurgeon in darwin) it takes time and usually we have 15 - 20 mins of oxygen to transfer the patient to the facility in the aircraft.
We had to take our patient through customs (one of those domestic / international flights) and wait until the stretcher and oxygen fixture was fitted into the aircraft. Oxygen was running dangerously low so I went back to the truck (ambulance ) to get our 2nd cylinder. On trying to pass security on return to the aircraft, I was abused by security staff because I wouldnt wait in line. I had already stated I had to come back through and it was an emergency.
Our patient had literally seconds of Oxygen left before we managed to swap the cylinders.
So you see security etiquette goes both ways... Darwin still has to come up with a safer (and a less public) more expedient way of tranferring these patients. This way the attending medical staff, the security staff and the patient would be under a whole lot less stress.
The story was we had a critically ill patient to be transported by the flying roo to Adelaide. The patient was on a ventilator and totally reliant on the machinery he was attatched to. Time to transfer from the ambulance to the aircraft is to be minimal.
For all those patient Q staff (thank you for your patience as we dont have a neurosurgeon in darwin) it takes time and usually we have 15 - 20 mins of oxygen to transfer the patient to the facility in the aircraft.
We had to take our patient through customs (one of those domestic / international flights) and wait until the stretcher and oxygen fixture was fitted into the aircraft. Oxygen was running dangerously low so I went back to the truck (ambulance ) to get our 2nd cylinder. On trying to pass security on return to the aircraft, I was abused by security staff because I wouldnt wait in line. I had already stated I had to come back through and it was an emergency.
Our patient had literally seconds of Oxygen left before we managed to swap the cylinders.
So you see security etiquette goes both ways... Darwin still has to come up with a safer (and a less public) more expedient way of tranferring these patients. This way the attending medical staff, the security staff and the patient would be under a whole lot less stress.
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northern_chique - all those transfers are done airside in Melbourne - including international transfers. Ambulance gets escorted airside by FAC right up to aircraft in question - patient out the back and onto the hi-lift into the aircraft. Same most places I've worked. Darwin doesn't sound very helpful.
