Aviation Security Service
Agency overview
Formed1977
JurisdictionNew Zealand government
Headquarters366 Lambton Quay, Wellington
Employees1309 FTE (2023)
Parent agencyCivil Aviation Authority
Websitehttps://www.aviation.govt.nz/

The Aviation Security Service (Avsec) is the operational arm of the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) that is responsible for the delivery of aviation security at security-designated airports.[1]

Organisation

The Aviation Security Service was established as a result of the addition of Annex 17 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation which required that passengers and baggage be screened for weapons. It also required that aviation security be maintained through patrols of operational security areas and having trained officers available to respond to breaches of aviation security. As a result, New Zealand established Avsec in 1977 to fulfil these requirements and meet its obligations under the convention. [2]

In terms of governance, the service is part of the CAA and reports to its chief executive. However, it is operationally independent from the regulatory function arm of the authority and is required to have a separate budget.[3][2]

The service is headquartered at 366 Lambton Quay in Wellington, the same address as the CAA. It also has offices at each of the security-designated airports as well as a training centre in Auckland.[4]

As of 2023, Avsec has 1,309 Full-time equivalent staff, most of whom are based at airports.[5]

Functions

Avsec's primary activities involve security screening as well as maintaining the security of restricted areas through patrols and an Airport Identity Card system. However, the service does also fulfil other functions.[6]

Security screening

Avsec undertakes pre-boarding security screening of passengers (and their carry-on baggage) travelling on all international flights as well as domestic flights that operate using aircraft with seats for 90 or more passengers.[6] For international flights, the screening also includes passenger's checked baggage.[7] Currently there are only six security-designated airports with flights that fall into this category:

Airport IATA ICAO Annual Passengers Annual Aircraft Movements
Auckland International Airport AKL NZAA 15,861,264 54,007
Wellington International Airport WLG NZWN 5,413,325 41,032
Christchurch International Airport CHC NZCH 5,690,708 42,653
Dunedin International Airport DUD NZDN 920,349
Queenstown International Airport ZQN NZQN 2,370,320 17,830
Invercargil Airport IVC NZNV 9,282

In the 2018/19 year (pre-covid), Avsec screened an estimated 6.9 million International passengers and 7.7 million Domestic passengers.[1]

Security screening is primarily conducted using walk-through metal detectors which all passengers must pass through prior to boarding security-designated flights. However, some passengers are also screened using Advanced Imagining Technology (AIT, otherwise known as body scanners).[8] These scanners were first introduced at Auckland for international flights in June 2019 and at Dunedin for domestic flights in August 2019. Since then, they have been progressively rolled-out across all the airports to ensure compliance with international standards and detect aviation security threats that evade traditional screening methods.[9][10]

Other functions

In 2018, Avsec began trialing Behavioral Detection Officers at Auckland Airport to observe passengers and detect unusual behaviour that could indicate a threat to aviation security. The trial lead to the establishment of a permanent team at Auckland Airport as well as at Christchurch Airport. Such a practice has been controversial in other countries, due to accusations of racial profiling. However, Avsec insists that this is mitigated through training on unconscious bias as well as the interactions between officers and passengers being reviewed daily by team leaders. The service also claims that the practice has been highly successful in detecting crime including activities such as credit card fraud which do not pose a direct threat to aviation security and is, therefore, referred onwards to the New Zealand Police or Customs Service.[11][12][13]

References

  1. 1 2 "Briefing to the Incoming Minister: Civil Aviation Authority" (PDF). Beehive.govt.nz. 14 December 2020. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  2. 1 2 "History of aviation security in New Zealand | aviation.govt.nz". www.aviation.govt.nz. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  3. ↑ "Briefing to the Incoming Minister: Civil Aviation Authority" (PDF). Beehive.govt.nz. pp. 38, 42. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  4. ↑ "Contact us | aviation.govt.nz". www.aviation.govt.nz. Retrieved 2023-12-02.
  5. ↑ Civil Aviation Authority (2023). "Briefing to the Incoming Minister" (PDF). aviation.govt.nz. Retrieved 2023-12-02.
  6. 1 2 "Aviation Security Service: Avsec's Role". 2018-01-27. Archived from the original on 2018-01-27. Retrieved 2023-09-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ↑ "Security screening and other airport duties | aviation.govt.nz". www.aviation.govt.nz. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  8. ↑ Granville, Alan (2023-08-29). "Why do I seem to set alarms off in one airport and not the other?". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  9. ↑ McNeilly, Hamish (2019-08-12). "First full body scanners for Kiwi domestic travellers open at Dunedin Airport". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  10. ↑ Sabin, Brook (2022-12-07). "Body scanners and boots off: Why is domestic aviation security ramping up?". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  11. ↑ Sabin, Brook (2022-12-14). "Hundreds of criminals stopped at Auckland Airport by new officers who watch for suspicious passengers". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  12. ↑ Cornish, Sophie (2020-02-07). "New Chch Airport security to watch for signs of unusual behaviour". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  13. ↑ "Behavioural detection | aviation.govt.nz". www.aviation.govt.nz. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
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