AOA welcome airport worker ID card plan, BAR don’t
06.03.08
The Airport Operators Association (AOA) has welcomed an announcement from Home Secretary Jacqui Smith that National ID cards will be trialled amongst airside workers from 2009. However the airline representation body BAR UK has condemned it as 'wasteful and costly'.
Airport workers are to be the first to be given identity cards under plans announced by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith today. A Whitehall document leaked in January showed airport workers becoming the first to receive ID cards in 2009.BAA, some of the country's biggest airports, says it has already had exploratory talks with the government on the proposal.
Chairman of the AOA Neil Pakey (and Liverpool Airport CEO) said: ‘Airport operators’ first duty is the safety of passengers. We welcome the opportunity to work with the Government in exploring the possibility of issuing ID cards to airside staff. They have the potential to strengthen what is already a robust aviation security scheme.
‘However, in rolling the National ID card out at airports the Government will need to ensure that the process of background checks is made more speedy and efficient; and that new arrangements do not duplicate existing processes.’
But the plans have been condemned as 'wasteful and costly' by BAR UK, which represents more than 90 scheduled airlines. It said that the scheme would not produce any significant return as thousands of staff working airside at UK airports - the area beyond passenger security barriers and on aircraft aprons - are already required to have airport ID cards.
Chief executive Mike Carrivick said: 'Today, aviation security checks are at an all-time high, and staff with airside access are already subject to very thorough identity checks. Any compulsion for them to have an National ID Card, in order to obtain an airport ID Card, will add complexity and cost to the process without apparently any strong benefits in return.'
'Criminal record checks will still be necessary, as will security clearances, so there are no savings of time or process there. However, as there are likely to be significant costs to obtain a National ID Card, this will be seen as yet another financial burden being placed on the industry without savings being made elsewhere.'
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