As the airports across the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) network continues to experience a steady increase in passenger volumes, the company said in the interests of keeping everyone safe, it would continue to adhere to all internationally recognised standard operating procedures, and comply with national aviation legislation and regulations that strive to ensure the security and safety of its passengers.
The airports business said it had noted online media reports on security-screening and searching of passengers, and appealed for cooperation with airports security personnel as they undertook this basic, but essential part of aviation security.
General Mzwandile Petros, Group Executive for Enterprise Security said Acsa does not have policies or procedures that discriminate against any passengers or airport-users on the basis of gender, race, cultural beliefs, religion or place of origin.
“South Africa is a constitutional democracy that accords equal regard to all individuals regardless of their faith, race, gender or cultural background. Acsa, as a state-owned company, subscribes to all principles as espoused in the Constitution, which ensure a free and equal society. Furthermore, we are always ready to observe and defend the rights of all persons at the facilities we manage,” Petros said.
The company said its security protocols included random physical searches performed for all passengers after a certain number of people had passed a security search point at the airports’ terminals. These standard practices were in line with the security manual of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the company said.
The airports business said searches were designed to be conducted for all travellers, even when there was no trigger from the security checkpoint. As such, Acsa called on all travellers to note that when being ushered through the screening-process by airports security personnel, they may be required to remove any headgear, including fixed religious and cultural headgear.
It said that at all times, the physical searches would be conducted with due sensitivity to recognised religious and cultural practices. This included providing an appropriate space to conduct a physical search, should the passenger so prefer.
Acsa acknowledged that physical searches may cause discomfort to its passengers, and in view of this, their security personnel had been instructed to ensure that all searches were conducted in a respectful and courteous manner.
International Air Transport Association (IATA) data for May showed that global passenger demand measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), was up 10.7% compared to May, last year. Total capacity measured in available seat kilometres (ASK) was up 8.5% year on year. The May load factor was 83.4% (+1.7ppt compared to May, 2023) – a record high for May.
International demand rose 14.6% compared to May, last year. Capacity was up 14.1% year on year and the load factor improved to 82.8% (+0.3ppt in May, 2023). Domestic demand rose 4.7% compared to May, last year; capacity was up 0.1% year on year, and the load factor was 84.5% (+3.8ppt compared to Ma,y 2023).