How security at Changi Airport has been stepped

SINGAPORE - Passengers on selected flights travelling to and from Changi Airport may have to undergo enhanced security checks, the airport police said on Monday.

This is part of their latest "calibrations" on their risk management approach of airport security in the wake of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, said Airport Police Division (APD) commander Sam Tee Chong Fui in a media briefing.

The new measures come after the APD held a mandatory meeting with more than 100 airlines to share their assessment of the incident and the measures that have to be put in place.

The police and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) have raised the security alert "as a precautionary measure", said a joint statement from the two agencies.

Said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Tee: "The police and ICA have been monitoring the MH370 situation closely, and have proactively reviewed and raised the security alert at Changi Airport as a precautionary measure. Police and ICA have calibrated the security measures to commensurate with the level of risk assessment."

He said that APD regularly reviews security measures with every international incident.

Last year, around 147,000 passengers passed through the airport daily and more than 6,900 flights landed or departed from the airport every week.

SECURITY MEASURES AT CHANGI AIRPORT DEPARTURE

1. PUBLIC AREA

The facade of the terminals are designed to protect the building and passengers against explosive devices.

Bollards (short vertical posts) prevent vehicles from driving into the terminals.

Airport glass panels are glazed with an anti-shatter film, and a cable catcher system is designed to prevent these panels from flying inwards

More than 2,000 closed-circuit television (CCTV) onsite cameras are monitored by officers in the APD Command and Control Centre.

2. BAGGAGE CHECK-IN

All checked baggage are inspected with five levels of screening, using automated scanners that can detect suspicious items such as explosives.

Depending on available resources, police dog units, or "K-9", screen baggage to detect controlled drugs, firearms and explosives. This unit will be deployed more frequently to screen baggage from selected flights.

3. IMMIGRATION CHECKPOINT

ICA screens passengers and crew for three things:

1. Whether travel documents are forged, tampered with or reported lost;

2. Whether the person is the rightful holder of the passport and;

3. What the intention of the person is.

Security officers look out for tell-tale signs of suspicious behaviour such as sweating excessively, nervousness and avoiding eye contact.

Since 2008, ICA clearance has been cross-referenced with Interpol's database, which contains around 40 million entries of lost or suspicious passports.

4. TRANSIT AREA

APD conducts daily security sweeps to deter and detect undesirable activities here, supported by CCTV monitoring and officers from the Gurkha Contingent.

Airport cleaners, trolley retrievers, cashiers and baggage handlers are trained to detect and report threats as part of the Threat-Oriented Passenger Screening Integrated System, or Topsis.

The Electric Stand-up Vehicle, with an elevated platform, is used by the police to patrol quickly with a wider view.

5. BOARDING GATE

Here, all passengers and carry-on luggage are screened with metal detectors and X-ray machines. Those who set off the metal detectors will be frisked.

Passengers are also checked by full body X-ray machines.

Passengers from selected flights go through additional checks even if they do not set off metal detectors.

ARRIVAL

Upon arrival, passengers go to immigration checkpoints where they go through the same checks as departing passengers.

APD officers from the Command and Control Centre monitor passengers from selected flights more stringently.

ngjunsen@sph.com.sg

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