Smooth sailing through checkpoints despite tighter security

SEPANG: Passengers at the KL International Airport are passing through the security checkpoints to board their plane as usual despite tighter enforcement in the face of the MH370 crisis.

A 48-year-old customer management executive, who wants to only be known as Loges, said:

“It has been a while since I travelled, but I don’t find the airport security any more tighter than it was before.”

She was leaving for India with her son last night, accompanied by husband Richard Ravi, a facilities manager.

Richard said there was room for improvement in airport security.

“There needs to be more clarity on how airport officers authenticate the validity of travel documents.

“That way, airport security can prevent stolen passport holders from boarding the planes,” added Richard, 49, referring to the two passengers on board MH370 said to be carrying stolen passports.

A Sabahan family bound for Saudi Arabia said they had not noticed a change in the security level at KLIA.

Declining to give their names, the family said they had arrived safely from Kota Kinabalu without much hassle yesterday evening.

“The security officers checked our passports and let us pass through without much question,” said a member of the Mecca-bound family, who were taking a Turkish Airlines flight.

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) had said on Monday it had increased security measures for its employees, from pilots to ground crew, since the MH370 craft went missing on March 8.

The airline said it had maintained Code Tango, an anti-sabotage alert, from Day One and everyone in the company has been placed on high alert.

With Code Tango enforced, only authorised persons can speak to the media, unauthorised persons are not allowed to the flight deck and overall security is heightened.

A MAS source said Code Tango was the highest security level to be implemented by the airlines.

“Code Tango was also activated in response to the Lahad Datu incursion last year.

“The crew assigned to handle a specific aircraft are not allowed to leave the plane unattended until the next crew comes in,” said the source, adding the measure was to prevent any foreign object or person from entering the aircraft.

MAS chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya had told a press conference on Monday that Code Tango was activated on the day MH370 went missing.

He said the move was to provide the re-assurance of security for airline travellers.