London - Airport security needs to be reviewed – but as investigations continue into the cause of the Russian plane crash in Egypt, there is confusion about what the changes should be and where they are most needed.
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said last week that tighter security was needed in areas where the group known as Islamic State was “active”.
This was in the increasing belief that the Metrojet aircraft was downed by a bomb placed on board at Sharm el-Sheikh airport, while the flight was being prepared for departure.
A year ago the Foreign Office warned of “a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals, from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria”. This still appears in travel advice for every country.
To narrow down the range of airports perceived as at risk, The Independent has cross-referenced Mr Hammond’s remarks with specific Foreign Office warnings about terrorist activity in areas with direct flights to Britain.
Besides Sharm el-Sheikh, the locations are Algiers, Tunis, the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, and the two main Saudi air hubs, Jeddah and Riyadh.
The Foreign Office also says: “Terrorists continue to issue statements threatening attacks in the Gulf… on residential compounds, and military, oil, transport and aviation interests.”
The main east African gateway, Nairobi, is also likely to attract scrutiny. The Foreign Office says there is concern about the lack of security at the Kenyan capital’s airports.
Security experts are also to assess airports that attract large numbers of British holidaymakers, such as Turkey and Morocco.
EasyJet said it would be “led by the government” about security.
“They have the intelligence.”
The Department of Transport declined to give details of changes. Security experts say travellers may not notice any difference because the focus will largely be behind the scenes.
Adrian Young, senior consultant at To70 Aviation, said: “The screening and surveillance of airside staff, in Europe and elsewhere, is probably a more important step than making changes to the passenger experience. I expect a combination of better screening and less-predictable checks.”
Philip Baum, editor of Aviation Security International, said checks on airport employees’ social media transactions should be mandatory.
“This may appear to be an invasion of privacy, but the stakes are so high that our not doing so may result in future atrocities.”
The Independent