Police and bomb squad detectives swarmed Avalon Airport near Geelong last Thursday, concerned a traveller had concealed military-grade explosives in his luggage.
A Bomb Response Unit robot investigated the items for four hours before it was determined that they were a laser hair removal device and a container of hot chocolate.
It is not the first security scare at Avalon, Melbourne’s second airport, to make headlines.
Remote devices from the Bomb Response Unit were seen entering Avalon Airport after it had been evacuated. (ABC News)
The false alarm comes after an alleged hijacking attempt in March last year, when prosecutors say a man gained access to the airport by sneaking through a security fence.
High-profile incidents at airports over the years regularly trigger national conversations about airport security, with stakeholders calling for more investment in safety.
In 2018, the federal government was prompted to invest nearly $300 million into improving airport security following a failed terrorist plot to blow up an Etihad flight leaving from Sydney Airport.
But not all airports in Australia are created equal, with variable security at each airport.
The tiers of Australian airport security
Airports in Australia are divided into a tier system, based on their size and how busy they are.
At the top, major airports in capital cities and non-capital international gateway airports form the highest tiers.
The bottom tiers are comprised of regional airports without regular passenger services and remote community aerodromes for medical and emergency flights.
Major international hubs like Sydney Airport require a higher level of security than regional airports. (Facebook: Sydney Airport)
Which tier an airport will fall into, and how much security is therefore required, is determined by the Department of Home Affairs and kept strictly confidential.
“The classification of security-controlled airports is based on the overall risk profile of the airport,” a department spokesperson said.
“This includes consideration of the types of air services provided and seating capacity of aircraft servicing the airport [40 or more seats]passenger volumes, the presence of international services and the individual airport operating environment.”
It means smaller Tier 3 and below airports in regional areas do not require the same level of security screening as major hubs in capital cities.
The cost of airport security
The difference in required security at different tiers of airports comes with a price tag.
Over the past two years, major Australian airports have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into newly mandated security technology such as advanced CT scanning machines, allowing travellers to go through security without removing laptops or liquids from their carry-on bags.
Modern airport security uses CT scans to create detailed images of passengers as they pass through checkpoints. (Melbourne Airport)
But any regional airports that grow in size also face stricter security requirements over time, which they are forced to self-fund.
Burnie Airport in Tasmania was informed by the Department of Home Affairs that it meets the threshold to be reclassified from a Tier 3 to a Tier 2 airport, meaning it would require security screening.
In a submission to the government, Burnie Airport executives said the installation of security measures could cost up the $30 million, and a further $2.5 million each year in operating costs.
The submission said the ongoing costs would require an additional $170 per airfare for passengers flying on the QantasLink service from Burnie to Melbourne, with the risk that Qantas would cease service altogether.
The Burnie Airport Corporation says the cost of proposed security upgrades could force airlines to stop using the airport. (WikiMedia Commons)
Similar security costs forced Rex Airlines to stop flying its Adelaide to Whyalla route in 2023, after being told the costs of $35 to $40 per passenger would be passed from Whyalla Airport onto the airline.
Steve Lawson has been an aviation security expert for more than 30 years and is involved in installing security systems at major airports.
Mr Lawson said the cost of installing and training staff to maintain airport security can be prohibitive for regional airports.
“Most of these smaller airports are owned by councils who are already cash-strapped,”
Mr Lawson said.
“If they’re asked to put in equipment that is overly expensive, then often the government steps in to assist with the purchase.
“But one of the biggest issues is staffing and the costs.”
When asked about whether the recent incident at Avalon Airport would trigger any reviews, the Department of Home Affairs said it “works closely with airport operators to ensure that appropriate security measures are in place”.
“For security reasons, the department does not publicly discuss the security arrangements at individual airports,” a department spokesperson said.
“However, there are measures in place at all security-controlled airports to ensure the safety and security of travellers. Some of these measures are visible to travellers while others are not.”
How effective is airport security?
A combination of the secrecy around security protocols and a lack of publicly available data makes it difficult to measure how effective Australia’s airport security system is.
Audits conducted by the Australian National Auditor’s Office in 2016 found the Department of Home Affairs had such incomplete data and record keeping that it was unable to determine if passenger screening at domestic airports was effective.
An update by Auditor-General Grant Hehir two years later said despite the recommendations made in the initial audit, things had not improved.
“While the department has made progress, it is not yet well placed to provide assurance that passenger screening is effective and that screening authorities comply with the regulations,” the report said.
Data on the accuracy and efficiency of airport security screening is not widely available. (Facebook: Sydney Airport)
The lack of transparency around airport security performance is not unique to Australia, with the results of audits conducted in the United States also heavily classified.
In 2015, US media reported than an internal investigation of the country’s airport security found undercover agents were able to smuggle prohibited items or weapons through checkpoints in 95 per cent of attempts.
But Mr Lawson, who previously audited airport security globally for Qantas, said Australian airport security ranks among the best.
“I can tell you, with confidence, in all that time the Australian screeners and the Australian security beats 99.9 per cent of the world,” Mr Lawson said.
“It is absolutely excellent. I would put an Australian screener up against a screener from anywhere.”
