As reported on Campbell Live tonight at 7pm, the new check in system at Auckland Airport is sadly lacking in even the basic security features. The gorgeous reporter Rebbecca Wright (who, trust us, does not look like a man), was able to travel on a man’s ticket, even boarding the same plane as the same man and travelling together on the same boarding pass. Then to make matters worse, they were able to check in an extra bag after a passenger (an MP) had already checked in and went through Aviation Security screening. The bag could have contained anything defamatory, illegal or worse.
Airport officials need to act on this now and actually engage security experts as opposed to computer people. Do we pity the person who signed off on this new system ?? No we pity the person who might fall foul of this basic “security 101” error.
As previous blogged about, Paragon featured in a TV3 expose of security lapses at our main airports after the introduction of new self check-in facilities. It was difficult to be restrained about these lapses, not the least because we all travel up and down the country.
Certainly no-one would like to think that after you have checked in and gone through security (estimated $4.66 cost to each traveler) that anyone could just then wander up to the check-in machine and add luggage under your name. They are then provided with a printed luggage tag allowing them to send whatever they liked on your plane.
The terms espionage, safety, security, privacy all spring to mind, though it’s great to see they have since fixed the problem.