Terror attacks: explosions in the departure hall of Brussels Airport!

[b-west]

Have you forgotten the open letter that was sent yesterday and didn't come from the unions? There's wide support among the police to finally force the airport to take security at Brussels serious. This isn't just for the safety of the police but also for the sake of the staff and passengers at the airport. I've talked with people working for various companies at the airport, and a lot of them agree with the police not giving in.

[b720]

And search everyone entering the terminals? 23 million plus visitors.. I can see a line of 1 km outside.. And who secures the poor souls lining for their turn to be searched? The whole thing does not make sense ..

[convair]

And what is the miracle solution for the railways station then? Keep in closed? Have a security inspection in Zaventem station? At Brussels-North?

[b-west]

If security checks can be efficiently done in other places, without creating big queues, why shouldn't they be possible in Brussels? It's a matter of investment. And I know, Brussels Airport doesn't like to invest in security, as it doesn't bring in any revenue, but for the sake of the staff and passengers, I do hope the police doesn't give in this time.

[convair]

If security checks can be efficiently done in other places, without creating big queues, why shouldn't they be possible in Brussels? It's a matter of investment. And I know, Brussels Airport doesn't like to invest in security, as it doesn't bring in any revenue, but for the sake of the staff and passengers, I do hope the police doesn't give in this time.

Which other places are you referring to?

And I still miss the answer to my question: What's the unions' plan for the railway station?

[b-west]

Istanbul comes to mind. A large airport, where entry checks are in place.

As for what the unions plan is for the station, you should ask them. The station certainly is large enough to put in place checkpoints there.

[Conti764]

That's basically what the police is complaining about no? When they talk about the luggage handling @ BRU.

If you want a permanent badge to work at the airport it takes 5 weeks, and the green light is given by the federal police. And its the same for regional airports. Federal police is the only organisation that as the right to investigate before the badge is issued. And so the police know the name of every workers in every airports in Belgium.

Not entirely true. Police only steps in when a possible new employee is flagged by authorities, and this could be for various reasons, ranging from your average citizen who 'forgot' to pay a fine to, yes, a criminal. But only when measures have to be taken against those people. When they are known for e.g. having fundamentalist sympathies but they aren't up to a measure to be taken, police is not alerted.

Handing out badges remains the sole responsibality of BAC, or at least the ministry of internal affaires... But at the speed they hand out badges I highly doubt many government workers get to see ones profile.

[Conti764]

And search everyone entering the terminals? 23 million plus visitors.. I can see a line of 1 km outside.. And who secures the poor souls lining for their turn to be searched? The whole thing does not make sense ..

Those 23 million passengers do not all pass at departures... Half of them arrive and then we have the transfer/transit passengers. But yes, a fairly large number of people have to be searched. It is doable, I suppose, but it needs some investments. On the other hand, this won't stop a single terrorist from doing what he wants to do so badly to get to his virgins...

[Conti764]

If security checks can be efficiently done in other places, without creating big queues, why shouldn't they be possible in Brussels? It's a matter of investment. And I know, Brussels Airport doesn't like to invest in security, as it doesn't bring in any revenue, but for the sake of the staff and passengers, I do hope the police doesn't give in this time.

Which other places are you referring to?

And I still miss the answer to my question: What's the unions' plan for the railway station?

Like b-west says... The station is big enough to set up a checkpoint...

But still I fail to understand what good would it do to security...

[convair]

Like b-west says... The station is big enough to set up a checkpoint...

OK, and then the station itself becomes a most interesting target, with masses of people queuing at the checkpoint!

Can't they see they're just moving the problem without solving it?

Regarding Istambul, I'd like to read about the experience of a regular user of the airport.

[Conti764]

Like b-west says... The station is big enough to set up a checkpoint...

OK, and then the station itself becomes a most interesting target, with masses of people queuing at the checkpoint!

Can't they see they're just moving the problem without solving it?

Regarding Istambul, I'd like to read about the experience of a regular user of the airport.

I am not contradicting your position, on the contrary...

I am only saying investments in and adaptations to every entry point of the airport can be done but it won't solve a thing...
Imagine BRU would have had checkpoints on the morning of the 22th and at one of these checkpoints a security agent would have noticed those odd gloves on one hand of each terrorist. What would have happened? They had blown themself up at that very spot... The airport would be open again since it didn't sustain that much damage, but it would have done any good to the victims...

[convair]

I am not contradicting your position, on the contrary...

I understood that; my arguments were aimed at those who believe full security can be achieved through checkpoints outside the terminal building.

[b-west]

I for one have never claimed full security can be reached like this. But putting up an extra defence doesn't seem such a bad idea to me,so you can protect those in the building. I wouldn't want to be checkin staff to be honest.

[RoMax]

To have the example of IST, these checks before the departure hall are inside the terminal. The front area is a large glassed zone with screening machines. Terrorists can blow themselves up in that zone killing at least as much people and doing a huge amount of damage to the terminal building as well.

I'm not familiar with other airports where they have such screening, but I suppose in most cases it is not actually outside the terminal but in the front zone or at least directly adjacent to it?

That's simply moving the problem, you won't avoid any human casualties and depending on the set up you can seriously damage the infrastructure having a similar effect as now with BRU being closed or partly closed for a very long time.

[flymd11]

If security checks can be efficiently done in other places, without creating big queues, why shouldn't they be possible in Brussels? It's a matter of investment. And I know, Brussels Airport doesn't like to invest in security, as it doesn't bring in any revenue, but for the sake of the staff and passengers, I do hope the police doesn't give in this time.

30+ minute security queues in front of some of the IST terminal entrances are not unknown.

[Jetter]

I'm not familiar with other airports where they have such screening, but I suppose in most cases it is not actually outside the terminal but in the front zone or at least directly adjacent to it?

It's like this indeed with all (10+) Asian airports that I've seen with such screening.

[Thomaaas]

The airport of Antalya also has a security check before you enter the check-in area, but that security check is also inside the building, just like IST.

Besides those airports, I have not been to an airport with a entrance security screening. And I agree with the statement that screening before people enter the building just moves the problem, because you do create a queu in front of the building. And do you also have to get a security screening when you enter the arrivals area when you have to pick-up someone? Doesn't make sense...

[Jetter]

This is pretty typical of such screening afaik. As you can see, only moving the target. Entrance to the area is at left side.

[lumumba]

If we have to go true security check before check in I will not fly from BRU anymore...
I prefere to take the high speed train to CDG or Schiphol.
And for short flights there is Charleroi or Antwerp maybe Eindhoven etc..
But for sure I will not go true BRU!!!!

[Bralo20]

30+ minute security queues in front of some of the IST terminal entrances are not unknown.

Sounds fun when you quickly stop at the airport to grab a cup of coffee at Starbucks (Something I used to do a lot at night back when I was a fire photographer, after the job quickly driving to BRU to grab a big cup of coffee to keep me awake), most of the time I was in and out the airport in under 10 minutes.