Airport security crucial for region’s expanding airports
Contributors are not employed, compensated or governed by TD, opinions and statements are from the contributor directly
Airports across the GCC are gearing up to cater to increasing passenger numbers.
The growth has also given rise to increased security dilemmas and a growing demand for more efficient passenger processing systems to keep these transport hubs functioning smoothly.
Recent statistics state that passenger traffic in the GCC has grown at a CAGR of 10% between 2002 and 2010, significantly higher than the global average of between 1% and 3%. Subsequently, ambitious expansion plans worth US$119 billion have been put in place in order to meet projected demand. On the cards are new terminal complexes as well as extensions to existing facilities around the region.
Dubai is currently executing its planned investment of US$7.73bn (AED28.4bn) to implement the fourth phase of Dubai Airport expansion and increase its capacity to over 90 million passengers annually. Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) expansion caters to an annual capacity to 40 million passengers. Even the smaller UAE airports are investing in order to boost facilities and expansion. Sharjah plans to spend US$136m (AED500m), while Fujairah has set aside US$43.5m (AED160m). Saudi Arabia is set to invest approximately US$7.35bn (SR27bn) on new airport projects while in Oman, both the Muscat and Salalah airports are being developed at a total cost of US$326m (OR125.7m) to handle 48 and 10 million passengers annually. On-going expansion in Doha and planned enhancement of passenger handling capacity in Kuwait are also expected to enhance the region’s passenger throughput.
This growth led to growing demand for passenger processing systems which can streamline the flow of people and their baggage, improving efficiency and enhancing traffic handling capacities. These issues will be discussed and debated at the Aviation Security Summit scheduled to take place in January 2013 in Dubai.
“With tremendous increase in traffic at the region’s airports, it is vitally important that security staffs handling various security screening procedures are able to do so in an error tolerant and threat mitigating manner. Awareness of the importance of ensuring fool-proof security while at the same time providing passengers with efficient service is continually and even more so of the utmost importance,” said Andrew Mc Clumpha, director of Leigh Fisher. Mc Clumpha will also present on the human factors in aviation security operations during the summit.