Scanners outside Malta’s airport ‘will not mitigate terror threat’

It’s been a sobering few months for Europe’s airport industry, with this week’s terror attack on the Istanbul Ataturk airport coming fast on the heels of the Brussels bombings. 

Questions are now being asked about whether beefed-up security could prevent such attacks from repeating themselves, and a frequently mulled proposal is for security scanners to be installed at the entrance to airports. 

Such scanners are commonplace at Russian airports, and indeed one exists at the Ataturk airport. However, Patrick Murgo, head of security at the Malta International Airport, is dubious about whether such a fresh layer of security would prove effective in countering terrorist threats. 

“In our opinion, moving or creating new security screening areas out of the terminal would not necessarily mitigate the risk but would rather shift the exposure of certain risks elsewhere,” Murgo told MaltaToday in an interview.

However, he expressed confidence that the landside area of the airport is kept secure, through regular patrols and CCTV coverage. 

“More law enforcement resources are now stationed at the airport [than before the Brussels attacks], strengthening the security of our public areas,” he said. 

Murgo was appointed Head of MIA’s security in 2014, following stints as the head of the airport’s Fire and Rescue Department and as the director of the Civil Protection Department. 

Patrick Murgo airport head of security

He admitted that the threat of a terror attack on the airport is his greatest concern, but insisted that its security is top notch, on par with standards on aviation security set out by the European Commission.

“We operate in a dynamic and complex environment, managing thousands of people everyday, so safety and security are at the very top of our priority list, at all times,” he said. “The Commission monitors the implementation of these regulations through regular audits and inspections, so we are held up to the same scrutiny as every other airport one may pass through.”

He added that over 200 security personnel are deployed at the airport, that airport workers are also given General Security Awareness Training as part of their induction process, and that the MIA spends millions on security-related costs annually. 

“All security personnel are exposed to a number of disciplines during their training, delivered by experienced instructors,” he said. “These include courses on general aviation security, screening of passengers, baggage, mail and cargo, passenger profiling techniques as well as threat and risk assessment.

“In 2015, the company also put its corporate strategy under the spotlight, and redefined its purpose and values in order for employees and stakeholders to better understand our vision. Service excellence was introduced as one of our core values, and we have designed new training structures for our front-liners, including our security personnel, as part of our continued efforts to provide an even better passenger experience.”

He denied that the Schengen agreement – that allows passport-free travel in several European countries – affects the general aviation security procedures.

“It influences immigration control of course…we comply with any mandates received from the Ministry of Home Affairs.” 

However, the airport is certainly not resting on its laurels. Indeed, Murgo explained that it recently invested in security measures – including street furniture to protect the terminal, anti-passback gates and new explosive detection equipment. 

It will continue to beef up security investment this year, with a smarter CCTV platform, new state-of-the-art X-Ray machines, and a new access control system. 

Moreover, the airport announced last November that it will be investing €28 million in an ambitious two-phase terminal expansion project. Murgo noted that the first phase was driven by the airport’s need to expand its security screening area and improve guest experience. 

Early next year, the central screening area is set to be relocated, in an important move that will double its footprint from the current 350 square metres to 700 square metres. 

Two more security lanes will be added, taking the total up to six, and the queuing lane for passengers to pass through security will be lengthened by 140 metres. 

“This will mean that our guests will have more circulation space and that we will be improving our efficiency and the passenger flow, which are critical to the overall experience,” Murgo said. 

The key to boosting airport security, Murgo says, lies in new and innovative technologies. 

“Innovation is key to driving the change in security as we know it,” he said. “As demand for travel continues to increase, new technologies will continue to be developed to optimise the passenger experience. Malta International Airport is committed to facilitating the development of innovative solutions across the whole business.”