Illegal permits make JIA security ‘a joke’

ALAN PEAT AIRPORT ACCESS has been named as one of the major security breaches at Johannesburg International Airport following the recent ‘jumbo-jacking’ of a KLM aircraft. “It’s not people getting in through the fence,” said a senior airline source, “but people getting in with permits they shouldn’t have. “ACSA just doesn’t seem to have any control of all the permits floating around out there - and they’re just ducking the issue by throwing more armed security personnel at the problem. “That still doesn’t seem to do anything about heavily armed gangs getting into the airport in the first place.” The airport authorities remain tight-lipped about the incident, with ACSA saying nothing about the security issue. The only response is that security matters can’t be discussed with the press “because of security concerns”. But it’s a problem that has everyone worried. Captain Carl Hager, security committee chairman of the Airline Pilot’s Association of SA, also expressed concern about the security issue. “We’ve complained in the past about similar incidents on the loading zone at Johannesburg International,” he told News 24. “We were told the problems would be solved.” “So what’s next? What’s the use of having passengers’ tweezers confiscated, when people can walk about on the loading zone with AK-47s?”