French airport security costs rise, as journalist tests its effectiveness

THE cost of security at French airports is more than four time higher than the average in the rest of Europe.

A study by l’Union des aéroports français (UAF) has been published in the Journal du dimanche newspaper showing on average the price of security measures such as pat downs and metal detector checks costs €11 in France.

This compares to an average of €3 in other European countries.

And despite the costs of security at French airports being strictly controlled by government, it appears that there is a growing gap between the income raised and the costs involved.

Costs per passenger for all security are fixed at a maximum of €11, however expenditure on security has increased from €783 million in 2010, to €842 last year and is expected to reach €894 million in 2012.

The gap is being made up by airport authorities with a tax added to ticket prices to cover 'civil aviation' which takes in the airport facilities but also the security steps now demanded.

But ultimately are we any safer on aircraft today? Some doubt it.

Journalist Frederic Helbert took it upon himself to check out the security measures in place on a flight in Europe.

Videoing himself after passing through security sat in his seat he shows how he has three small bottles, that could have contained flammable liquids, as well as a cigarette lighter.

Interestingly I couldn't find anywhere on airline websites where they stated cigarette lighters were banned from being taken into the cabin, the nearest mention I could find was 'cigarette lighter fluid' so I am presuming this means the canisters for refilling a lighter.

And passengers are allowed to carry small quantities of liquid (100 ml max. per product), which have to be placed in a resealable, clear plastic bag.

Again you wonder if these small bottles did contain dangerous liquids whether security would have been alerted by sensitive scanning equipment.