The Government has signalled that security in airports will become more “passenger-friendly”.

As part of the plans, there will be wider flexibility in the way that passengers travelling through airports across the country, including Heathrow and Stansted, are screened.

Transport secretary Philip Hammond said he wanted to move in a different direction ”from the current highly-prescriptive one-size-fits-all approach” that is currently being applied in airports.

Instead, he said he wanted a new system which “maintains and improves security standards but in a more efficient and passenger-friendly way”.

Mr Hammond, who announced the consultation on aviation security, said: “I therefore propose that the Government should move from prescribing security processes to setting security outcomes.

“This will give airports and airlines greater flexibility to deliver high standards of security in ways that are better integrated with their day-to-day business and designed around the needs of the passenger.”

The introduction of a new security regime could see certain practices, such as making passengers take off their shoes, become a more selective process.

Mr Hammond said it was still ”of paramount importance” to the Government that passengers are safe and secure, and plans were being proposed to make all airport industry operators create and implement a security management system.

This move would highlight that there is a strong commitment to provide an overall high level of security, and demonstrate how UK and EU-specified security outcomes would be met, he added.

Copyright © Press Association 2011

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