There have been numerous incidents reported whereby passengers have been allegedly victimised by airport security screeners as a result of their ethnic origin, religious beliefs or colour of their skin. Few would argue with the fact that, since 11th September 2001, followers of the Islamic faith, on queuing up for flights, have been subjected to increased scrutiny by both officials and even their fellow travellers. As the industry grapples with the dilemma as to how best respond to the very real threat posed by Islamic fundamentalist activity without penalising the vast majority of law-abiding Muslims, Philip Baum asks Dr. Muhammad Abdul Bari how the Muslim community perceives airport security, passenger profiling and the solution to the problem.

On 3rd October 2006 Turkish Airlines flight 1476 departed Tirana, Albania, for Istanbul. In the cockpit were Captain Mürsel Gökalp (MG) and First Officer Yavuz Yilmaz, both former members of the Turkish Air Force. In the cabin were Chief Flight Attendant Nazenin Donder (ND) and three other crewmembers looking after the 107 passengers on board. Amongst those passengers were Sabri Abazi, an Albanian Member of Parliament, four beauty queens who had been participating in the Miss Globe international pageant, and one Hakan Ekinci who, shortly after take-off hijacked the aircraft to Brindisi, Italy. Philip Baum (PB) travelled to Istanbul to interview the crew of the flight who now tell their tale...

The answers to many of our security woes are provided by some of the revolutionary technologies being developed by both the security giants and the ambitious, yet creative, manufacturing minnows. Philip Baum collates some of the products that are likely to have an impact on the safeguarding of the aviation industry in the not too distant future. Whilst there is no single silver bullet to counter all threats, technologies do exist that can significantly enhance the effectiveness of our aviation security regime.

After every "successful" attack against civil aviation, heads turn towards the gurus of aviation security for advice and analysis. Israel, due to its unique history in battling terror in the skies, is often proffered as a case study of excellence. Whilst many of the methodologies utilised have no place in the global arena, there are certainly lessons to be learned from the Israeli approach and technologies that may enhance the security of airports and airlines elsewhere around the world. With this in mind, the Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute opened the doors of airports, seaports, border crossings and manufacturers in early December and invited representatives of overseas airports, airlines and regulatory authorities to "come and see". Philip Baum joined the tour and reports here on security Holy Land-style.

The hijacking of the Kato Airline Dornier 228 en route from Narvik to Bodø in September last year may have failed to grasp the attention of the international media. In Norway itself, however, the story had a significant impact. The reality that such a carrier could be target, and on a flight between towns unheard of by almost all non-Norwegian readers of this publication, was a wake-up call to the domestic aviation industry, let alone a lesson the rest of the world could well learn.

There are many new security technologies lurking in the wings. Some may yet take centre stage in the industry's attempt to prevent criminal acts against civil aviation. Philip Baum rounds up a few of the latest offerings to hit the market that offer an innovative approach to resolving a long-standing problem.

On the morning of 29 September 2004, a Kato Airline Dornier 228 departed the Norwegian town of Narvik on one of its daily flights to Bodø. Shortly before landing, a man, armed with an axe, charged into the cockpit and attacked the Captain and First Officer in an apparent suicide bid. Given that only 18 months have passed since a similar attack on a Qantas flight to Tasmania, the industry now has to recognise that such suicidal hijackers are the latest challenge to the aviation security system. They can strike any airline, anywhere, and there is unlikely to be much in the way of intelligence to help prevent such an incident. Indeed, the two latest incidents, on opposite sides of the world are a far cry from the high-risk routes we tend to focus much of our attention on. Philip Baum travelled to Stavanger to interview Captain Stein Magne Lian the pilot-in-command of Kato Airline flight 605, about the incident...

On 10 September 1976, TWA flight 355 was hijacked by five Croatian nationalists shortly after it took off from New York's JFK airport bound for Chicago. Armed with modelling clay and and electrical tape, from which they fashioned imitation explosive devices, they convinced the passengers and crew that they were prepared to die for their cause: Croatian Independence. The aircraft stopped in Newfoundland, Iceland and, eventually, France, where the hijackers surrendered...

Russia may not be where one first turns ones attention to when considering emerging security technologies, yet as Philip Baum discovers, perhaps we have had blinkered vision. For, in St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport, together with 100% inspection of check-in and carry-on baggage, Thermal Neutron Analysis (TNA) explosive detection systems are now part and parcel of the security infrastructure.

From the Atlantic to the Pacific, some of the world's leading research and development of new technologies to counter the terrorist threat has been taking place in the United States. Philip Baum travels Route 66 in search of American avsec solutions.