n ice front has developed between airline staff and the personnel enforcing security at Norwegian airports, with accusations of “security groping” prevalent among women.
Hans Jacob Opsahl says he has received repeated complaints, primarily from female employees, of crass treatment by security personnel. PHOTO: JON-ARE BERG-JACOBSEN |
In the wake of the terrorist attack on the USA on Sept. 11 2001, flight crews and pilots were required to undergo full security checks, beginning in May 2004, similar to those for passengers. These checks also apply to all ground crew and airport personnel. In practice, flight crews must undergo checks several times in the course of a working day.
On Tuesday evening a crisis meeting was held between airline companies, Civil Aviation Administration organization Avinor and the Civil Aviation Authority at Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL). A Widerøe airline pilot has threatened to resign in protest over what he calls harassment by security personnel, and a petition of signatures from OSL employees is being collected.
Amateurish and offensive
“I believe that the security company employees are a greater security risk that passengers or flight personnel. If there is a terrorist attack on Gardermoen I will eat my hat if security isn’t involved. I have 37 years experience with SAS and will not be checked by amateurs straight off the street,” said Hans Jacob Opsahl, chief elected representative for 600 SAS ground crew workers.
Opsahl also accuses security personnel of amateurish groping, particularly of female employees.
“I have had at least a dozen complaints from female employees who have had their breasts grabbed and had metal detectors rubbed against their crotch. Several women have also had guards pull out their waistbands and stick their hands in deeply,” Opsahl said.
“I have had several reports that, especially attractive women, have been thoroughly checked by men and have been refused requests to have women do this job,” Opsahl said, and called the behavior deeply offensive.
Personnel safety representative Jens Isaksen of SAS Ground Services has aired the problem with manpower firm Adecco.
“I have reported several instances of what must be called unprofessional execution of security checks, and our staff have reacted to these,” said Isaksen, and added that it is not unusual for ground staff to be security checked 10-12 times a day.
Jack Netskar of the Norwegian SAS pilots’ union said his members also felt the constant checks were a burden.
“Security can never be 100 percent and I don’t think we have much to gain by thoroughly searching pilots all the time,” Netskar said.
Puzzling charges
OSL information chief Jo Kobro was baffled by the problem.
“I am unaware of controllers groping women during security checks and find it strange that only ground employees have experienced this,” Kobro said. “If anyone experiences unpleasantness during a security control the duty officer should be called and informed and the video footage from the surveillance cameras will be checked afterwards,” Kobro said.
Kobro said that unprofessional conduct was not accepted at OSL and that all security personnel had to undergo training and were tested by European Union inspectors.
“I think anyone can find a security check unpleasant but these are regulations that must be carried out. As long as the Civil Aviation Authority follows EU regulations there is nothing we can do,” Kobro said.
By Hans O. Torgersen, Per Annar Holm and Jonathan Tisdall
Lifted and Published by African Press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525 source.aftenpostenEng
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