Another brick in the wall: Cape Town's controversial plan

Cape Town is one of the glitziest cities in Africa with a beautiful waterfront, a dramatic mountain and a lively vibe.

But it is also a city with many poverty-stricken residents, shanty towns and soaring crime rates.

The city has a controversial plan to build a 3-metre high security wall along the main highway linking Cape Town International Airport to the city.

The highway which has been dubbed “the hell run” after multiple car jackings and violent smash-and-grab attacks along the route.

The highway passes near some of Cape Town's most deprived communities, including the Gugulethu and Nyanga townships and Crossroads and Taiwan "informal settlements".

The wall will ostensibly make it harder for criminals from the townships to access the highway, but create issues for locals going about their legitimate business.

There are also suspicions that the wall is designed to block views of the disadvantaged communities - many of them home to corrugated iron shacks - from visitors arriving in the city, which derives much income from the visitor economy. 

It has been described as "hiding poverty to comfort tourists".

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has said the plan will keep criminals at bay along the N2 highway and the move is described by local authorities as a necessity to curb violent crime. Critics argue that the project risks deepening social divides.

They point out that it will do nothing to improve safety for local communities.

Opponents have highlighted that the wall risks echoing apartheid-era spatial divisions by physically separating poorer townships from wealthier areas and tourist routes.

Image: Gugulethu, thesouthafrican.com   

Is that a reptile down your pants?

Security officers made a shock discovery at Newark Liberty International Airport passenger screening - a live turtle stuffed down a man's pants.

A US Transportation Security Administration officer operating a pre-flight body scanner detected a concealed item in the Pennsylvania man’s pants, US media reported.

When confronted, the traveller ‘pulled out a live turtle.’ The captive was a 12cm-long red-ear slider turtle wrapped in a towel.

Police took possession of the reptile and later handed it over to US Fish and Wildlife Service officers.

The man accused of attempting to smuggle the turtle missed his flight and was escorted out of the security checkpoint by police. Police did not say where the man was planning to travel but he was turned around.

It is unclear if he will face wildlife smuggling charges.

“We have seen travellers try to conceal knives and other weapons on their person, however I believe this is the first time we have come across someone who was concealing a live animal down the front of his pants,” said Thomas Carter, the TSA’s federal security director for New Jersey.

“As best as we could tell, the turtle was not harmed by the man’s actions.”

Security flaws at Australia’s secondary airports

Just how safe are secondary airports in Australia?

On this week’s evidence: worryingly unsafe.

I’ve always been stunned how some rural airports in Australia do not conduct body scans or explosives tests.

At major airports, security operatives will divest you of manicure scissors or mini knitting needles, while letting you carry on a magnum bottle of wine. Such clear lack of thinking there.

But this week’s incident at Avalon Airport, outside Geelong, show just how potentially dangerous things really are.

A teenager armed with a loaded shotgun somehow managed to cut their way through a security fence and make it up the stairs of a commercial Jetstar flight while carrying a loaded shotgun.

Let's unpack that, shall we?

Security failed to see someone making their way through a fence; and failed to notice an armed person making their way across the tarmac.

The teen was allegedly trying to force his way onto the plane before before being overpowered by passengers. That's passengers, not the "security aware" cabin crew.

Police were called to the airport (but were apparently not on duty) and the flight, which was carrying about 150 people to Sydney, was cancelled.

"This would have been a very terrifying incident for the passengers of that plane, and Victoria Police really commend the bravery of those passengers who were able to overpower that male,” Police Superintendent Michael Reid told the media.

Police were also quick to say it was not a terrorist incident, code nowadays for "the offender was white".

Farmer Barry Clark, who tackled the alleged offender, said the teen became became agitated while speaking to a flight attendant.

“Before we knew it, a shotgun appeared, and I was worried about it being shot,” Clark told ABC Radio Melbourne.

“All I could do was push her out of the way, get the gun out of the way, break that gun and throw it down the stairs, and then put him in a hold, throw him to the ground until the police came."

Police detained the teenager and found live ammunition rounds along with the shotgun. He will face eight charges.

Good on Barry. Shame on Avalon Airport. 

Qantas issues apology after app security failure

Qantas has issued an e-mail apology to frequent flyers after this week's security issue with its Qantas app.

Thousands of flyers reported accessing info and tickets of other travellers when signing on to the app. Some could even print boarding passes for travellers other than themselves.

"On Wednesday we experienced an issue with the homepage of the Qantas App," the Australian airline said in the message.

"We want to apologise to all our impacted customers and assure you that the App is stable and operating normally.

"We have now identified the root cause and can confirm that this was a technology issue, and there is no evidence of a cyber incident.

"Qantas takes the security and privacy of our customers' data seriously and we want you to know that we have done everything we can to fully understand what went wrong so we can prevent it happening again.

"If you have upcoming travel, there is nothing you need to do. You can check your flight details at anytime on the Qantas App or website as usual.

"We will contact you directly if we determine that your sensitive travel information has been incorrectly displayed to another person.

"Please accept our sincere apologies."

Hotel housekeeper makes off with big haul

When you stay at a luxury hotel - paying big money for the privilege - you expect hotel management to have vetted the staff.

Not so in one unnamed hotel at Knightsbridge in London.

A hotel housekeeper has been accused of stealing a suitcase of jewellery worth £350,000 ($668,000_ - and she has apparently gone on the run to her home country of Romania.

British media reports that detectives are searching for Marinela Manolesu, 28, who was working in an unnamed hotel in the upmarket area when the jewellery was allegedly taken on October 8.

More than 20 items including necklaces, bracelets and watches were stolen.

The Metropolitan Police said the woman fled the UK around a week later and travelled to Romania, and that officers have contacted the authorities there.

The housekeeper had reportedly only been working at the hotel for a short time before the theft.

But I must say that if I had over a half a million dollars worth of gear in my luggage, then I would not leave it in my hotel room for the staff to half inch.

That, surely, is what safes are for.

When maniacs strike: Are you safe when flying?

Do you ever wonder why heavy glass bottles are allowed on international flights, but knitting needles, plastic water bottles and nail clippers can be banned and confiscated?

Simple answer. It is all about money - in this case for airport duty free outlets.

It is clear that a heavy Champagne bottle, or magnum of whisky, makes a pretty handy weapon. 

As passengers on the British Airways flight discovered this week.

British media reported that a passenger was stabbed during a violent incident on a Caribbean bound flight from London's Gatwick Airport.

It was reported that a man stormed into aircraft galley area, allegedly smashed a bottle and used it as a weapon during an argument with another passenger.

One man suffered a large wound with lots of blood, according to media reports.

“We’re shocked that anyone would act in this way and are grateful to our highly trained cabin crew and the customers who supported them,” a British Airways spokesperson said.

“We want to assure customers that this behaviour will never be tolerated.”

Which is all well and good.

Except flight crew are not capable of stopping incidents like this. They are fewer in number than they used to be - and a lot of them are not physically capable of ending a brawl.

The plane eventually landed safely and as scheduled at Hewanorra International Airport (above) on the island of Saint Lucia.

The St Lucia Times reported that the alleged assailant was arrested and the incident is currently under investigation. 

How safe do you feel? 

Meet the airports where it is fine to carry liquids on board

The world is changing fast.

The 100ml liquid rule for air travellers is now history at London City Airport.

The rollout of high-tech CT scanners means travellers are no longer required to limit liquids to 100ml in carry-on bags.

London City and Teeside, in the north-east of England have both officially launched CT scanners for passenger screening.

The scanners allow for clearer 3D imaging, although what happens if the machines go on the blink remains an unknown.

The British Government wants all major UK airports to have installed the machines by mid-2024.

London City Airport travellers no longer have to remove liquids, laptops and other electronic gadgets from their hand baggage when passing through security, Travel Mole reports.

The liquid limit is now up to 2 litres in hand baggage, and does not have to be placed in clear plastic bag.

Trials of the machines have been taking place at British other airports including London Heathrow, Gatwick and Birmingham.

Expect them at Australian airports in around, say, 10 years.

'Tis the season for travel industry strikes

Military personel will be deployed at major airports across Britain as members of Britain's Border Force plan for strikes over the Christmas holiday period.

The Ministry of Defence this week confirmed military have already been on site at London’s Heathrow (above) and Gatwick airports preparing to cover if the strikes go ahead.

Border Force officers are set to strike from December 23-26 and 28-31 at airports that also include Manchester, Cardiff, Birmingham and Glasgow, industry newsletter Travel Mole reports.

The armed forces personnel have been training at the airports ahead of the planned strikes and many of them have had their leave cancelled.

Overall, around 600 personnel have been called up to help during the planned strikes.

The strikes would cause "serious disruption", British Home Secretary Suella Braverman has warned.

“I really want to urge people to think carefully about their plans because they may well be impacted,” she said.

“If [workers] go ahead with strikes there will be undeniable, serious disruption caused to many thousands.”

The planned strike - to be conducted by members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) union - will likely cause delays to security checks, resulting in lengthy queues and knock-on disruption, Euronews reported.

Rules on flying with liquids may soon be eased

One of the most annoying aspects of flying internationally is the restriction on the amount of liquid you can carry with you as hand luggage.

On domestic flights in Australia, and many other countries, you can carry a couple of bottles of Champagne should you meet the weight allowance.

You can also carry bottles of water, should you wish.

On international flights the rules vary from airport to airport;

Sometimes you are allowed to carry a bottle of water onto your plane if it has been purchased airside. Other times, your bottle of water will be taken from you by super-keen security agents.

The rules are, of course, complete bunkum. A heavy bottle of Champagne (particularly if smashed) is a far more dangerous weapon than the tiny pocket knife I recently had taken from me at Adelaide Airport.

But there is zero common sense involved. It is all about image. And making passengers feel safe.

Good news, however, from the UK, where airports are planning to ditch the ban on liquids over 100ml by 2024, the Evening Standard newspaper reports.

Passengers travelling through UK airports will be able to carry drinks, make up and liquids of any size in their hand luggage.

New technology means passengers will be able to keep everything in their bags instead of being asked to remove laptops and ditch liquids over 100ml at screening. 

How the new scanner will be able to tell the difference between water, and say, acid, or, liquid explosives, was not revealed.

There were massive queues at British airports over the northern summer due to bag and border control checks, which would be alleviated under the plans to drop the liquid rule.

Department for Transport trials of the new technology are underway at Heathrow Airport, Gatwick and Birmingham.

Shannon and Donegal airports in Ireland, which have 3D scanners in operation, have already lifted their bans, The Times reports.

Photo by Michele Princigalli on Scopio

Is it time to say goodbye to paper passports forever?

Is it time to say goodbye to passports forever?

British Airways to trial biometric technology to enable passengers to travel through their departure airport without showing their passport.

Customers involved in the airline’s trial at Heathrow Airport terminal 5 can scan their face, passport and boarding pass on their smartphone ahead of travel.

When they arrive at the airport, Smart Bio-Pod cameras can verify their identity in under three seconds, Travel Mole reports.

David Breeze, Operations Transformation Manager for British Airways, said: “This is a secure and efficient tool that makes for a smarter airport experience, which will reduce the time it takes us to board aircraft.

“The technology also frees our people up to look after more complex customer enquiries."

The trial will run for six months using British Airways flights to Malaga, Spain, as the test case.

Customers who opt in will be invited to make use of the Fast-Track security lane and priority boarding.

If successful, they process is expected to be extended to more international flights.

It follows the introduction of automated biometric technology on British Airways’ domestic flights in 2017. That technology records customers’ facial scans at security and matches it to them at the boarding gate.

Given Australia's speed of take-up of new technology, we should see this come into operation in around 2035.

Qatar wants to spy on World Cup visitors

With the World cup finals in Qatar just a month away, Qatar’s government is causing concern to visitors with newly imposed demands on fans travelling to the tournament.

 The Qatari government requires all foreign visitors to download a pair of apps that provide officials with rights to access data on their phones - apps that could be considered as spyware.

Ehteraz is a Covid-19 tracking app that can manipulate content on a user’s phone. It can also override installed software and disable a phone’s lock screen.

Hayya, which tracks match info and access to the public transport system in Qatar, has permission to share information on a user’s phone.

Øyvind Vasaasen, the head of security at Norsk Rikskringkasting AS (NRK), the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, warned against uploading the apps.

“It’s not my job to give travel advice, but personally, I would never bring my mobile phone on a visit to Qatar,” Vasaasen told the NHK website.

“When you download these two apps, you accept the terms stated in the contract, and those terms are very generous. You essentially hand over all the information in your phone. 

"You give the people who control the apps the ability to read and change things, and tweak it. They also get the opportunity to retrieve information from other apps if they have the capacity to do so, and we believe they do.”

NRK has submitted its findings about the security loopholes to FIFA but the organisers, not keen on rocking the boat, reportedly say they do not wish to comment on the matter.

Qatar has previously come under fire for human rights violations and the treatment of migrant labourers employed to build stadiums for the tournament. 

  

Nutter alert at Bangkok airport

A review of security is underway at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport after a maniac made it onto the tarmac.

The man was wielding an axe and pointing a gun at airport staff pursuing him, Travel Mole reported.

The gun turned out to be a non-lethal, replica firearm.

The man was eventually cornered near an airbridge and subdued by security personnel.

He reportedly gained airside access earlier this week through a staff entrance.

Offender is subdued. (photo source)

Police said Wachara Khambutr, 34 of Loei province, was high on drugs at the time.

Airport general manager, Kittipong Kittikachorn said security guidelines were followed.

“I can assure everyone that Suvarnabhumi airport maintains its internationally accepted standard of security,” he said.

Airport police Col. Jirawat Piampinset said Wachara is facing charges of damaging property, drug possession and carrying weapons that threatened airport safety.