Domestic flights to be screened

Press, 1 November 1982, Page 6

Domestic flights to be screened

PA Wellington Domestic airline passengers using the three main airports from today are likely to be checked for dangerous goods and weapons. The Director of Civil Aviation. Captain E. T. Kippenberger, said last evening that passengers and their hand baggage departing on some domestic flights from Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch would face random aviation security screening. The bag searches and passenger scanning have been done on passengers in domestic flights on widebodied jets, but were now being extended, he said. ' The security staff will be looking for prohibited and

potentially dangerous articles, such as lighter fluid and aerosol cans and offensive weapons. The screening will be similar to that given passengers on international flights. The division hopes it will be both a deterrent and provide information on the volume of dangerous articles carried by passengers. The searches would make -little difference to the average traveller. The screening would be by airport security staff using old equipment made serviceable again, Captain Kippenberger said. The move followed up international trends, he said. Australia had screened as standard practice for five years.