Give All Airport Workers ID Cards, Urge UK Pilots

November 11, 2003

Give All Airport Workers ID Cards, Urge Pilots
The Scotsman, UK

Airline pilots today called for identity cards for airport workers as the
first step towards a national ID scheme.

The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) said 180,000 workers should
carry cards as part of a safety drive.

The union, which represents 8,000 pilots, said a number of companies gave
out airside passes, causing “confusion”.

“As pilots we have become increasingly concerned about safety and security
in and around our airports as well as in the air,” said Captain Mervyn
Granshaw, Balpa’s chairman.

“Never in the history of modern civil aviation have we been faced by such
risk to security for such a long period.”

Pilots, cabin crew, baggage handlers and check-in staff should have ID
cards, based on fingerprints or eye details, said Balpa.

The union said it could be a “pilot” scheme for a national ID card system
and would be more effective than initiatives such as sky marshals or
locked cockpit doors.

“If we are serious about security then the UK needs to invest in security,
stop trying to do it on the cheap, and stop wasting our airlines’ money on
USA imported initiatives which are of questionable value,” added Captain
Granshaw.



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