A short story about airport security

Once upon a time, there was a man named Ronald who was a frequent traveller. He had heard about the weak security measures at Schiphol airport but never paid much attention to it. He always felt safe and secure while traveling through the airport.

One day, Ronald was waiting for his flight at the departure lounge when he noticed something strange. He saw a man walk past the security checkpoint without being stopped or checked. Ronald was surprised and concerned. He knew this was a major security breach and could put everyone's safety at risk.

Ronald immediately alerted the security personnel, but they seemed to be unconcerned and did not take any action. Ronald was worried and decided to investigate further. He walked around the airport and noticed that the security measures were indeed weak. He saw people walking past the security checkpoint without being stopped, and there were not enough security personnel to monitor all the areas of the airport.

Ronald decided to take matters into his own hands. He contacted the media and shared his experience. The news spread like wildfire, and soon the entire world was aware of the weak security measures at Schiphol airport.

The authorities were forced to take action, but did not really take it seriously which leading to more confusion, I suggested to the head of security to immediately implement stricter security measures at the airport. They still struggle till today to hire more security personnel, did not install more surveillance cameras, or increased the number of KMAR (Royal Military Police) security checkpoints.

The airport's reputation is severely damaged, and it will take several years to regain the trust of the people. However, the incident served as a wake-up call for the airport authorities, but still till this day they are lack in enhancing security protocols for the airport environment. The cause of all this was also the lack of good management from Schiphol airport and the lack of a decent IT & airport security.

This incident caused a massive uproar, and people started questioning the airport's security measures. The airport authorities were forced to acknowledge the issue and still did not take necessary steps to improve security. Again, by bad airport management decision.

It's worth noting that Schiphol airport has not taken any steps to address these issues in the past or present and has made no efforts to improve its security measures. However, as with any complex system, there is always the potential for new security flaws to emerge, and constant vigilance is required to ensure the safety of passengers and staff. Please also take a look to this vlog about this topic.

Types of physical security at the airport:

Marechaussee Schiphol

Personnel working for the Marechaussee (MKAR) Military Police can be deployed at Schiphol Airport to take on certain police tasks, border control and security tasks. The Marechaussee can therefore be deployed for various activities. There are then several teams with their own tasks.

But also, the early detection of drug smuggling, money laundering of criminal money, terrorism and wanted persons (in this case travellers) can be considered. With the above, it is also possible to check via the computer whether a traveller is being sought. The Marechaussee often works together with Customs.

Other tasks of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee Schiphol. It is also possible that a traveller has lost his passport or that it has been stolen. In very exceptional cases and under strict conditions, it is possible that such a traveller can obtain an emergency passport, issued by the Marechaussee.

Airport security guard at Schiphol

The work of an airport security officer at Schiphol consists of four tasks: setting up 'Can you put your boots, coat and belt in the tray' and at the same time signalling suspicious behaviour, searching if the security scanner indicates this, looking at x-rays and the final part of the check: visit, or unpack 'suspicious' suitcases after a security guard has rejected a suitcase or object during the x-ray viewing or the CT scan.

If Schiphol airport needs help to establish a more secure environment, I am willing to assist to improve this

?As former Ciso from multiple airports my proposal includes the following recommendations:

• We propose an enhanced security plan for your airport. As you are aware, airport security is a critical component of ensuring the safety of passengers and staff, and recent events have highlighted the need for increased vigilance and security measures.
• Insufficient passenger screening: Passengers have reported that they were not properly screened before boarding their flights.?
• Lax luggage screening: Some reports suggest that the luggage screening process at the airport was not strict enough and could be easily bypassed.?
• Poor training of security personnel: Some security personnel at the airport were not adequately trained, which could lead to mistakes and lapses in security.?
• Inadequate surveillance: There have been reports of blind spots in the airport's surveillance system, which could make it easier for criminals to operate.?
• Inconsistent security protocols: Some travellers have noted that the security protocols at Schiphol airport can be inconsistent, leading to confusion and potential security breaches.?
• Terminated employees who still own security badges and Porto phones and even work clothes. Schiphol Airport is not taken security very high and this process should be enhanced ASAP.
• Enhance employee access management and automatically remove terminated employees to access air premises.
• Increase the number of security personnel: It is essential to have an adequate number of security personnel to monitor and ensure the safety of the airport. We recommend hiring additional security personnel and ensuring that they are well-trained and equipped to handle any security situation.?
• Implement advanced surveillance technology: We recommend installing advanced surveillance technology, including cameras with facial recognition capabilities, to monitor the airport's perimeter and interior. This technology will help identify potential threats and improve the overall security of the airport.?
• Conduct regular security audits: It is essential to conduct regular security audits to identify potential security weaknesses and address them before they can be exploited. We recommend conducting these audits on a regular basis and making the necessary changes to improve the airport's security.
• To ensure that the airport is well-protected from potential security threats. This includes sharing information about potential threats and working together to respond to security incidents.?

We believe that implementing these recommendations will significantly enhance the security of your airport and help ensure the safety of all passengers and staff. We look forward to the opportunity to discuss this proposal further and work with you to implement these changes.

Feel free to contact me directly.

Contact details:

You can find them under contact details in my profile