Security at Cologne-Bonn airport EU examiners have again found security issues
Köln/Bonn · According to public broadcaster WDR, undercover testers succeeded in smuggling weapons into the security area. Cologne-Bonn airport has confirmed the test but still does not know the outcome. 09.05.2017 Bonn.
According to a report by WDR, serious defects were found at the security controls at Cologne-Bonn airport. Undercover examiners from the European Union apparently succeeded in smuggling weapons and parts for building a bomb into the security area. WDR reported on Monday that the security failures arose at the passenger controls, at the controls for airport employees and during goods deliveries for businesses at the airport. The airport confirmed that there had been an inspection by examiners from the EU in the past week. However, the airport has not yet received the reported results.
There has been no statement from the EU Commission or the Federal police. The quality of security controls had already been criticised by the EU last year. Security companies were requested to better train their staff as a result. The focus has repeatedly been on the security firm Kötter. While the Federal police are responsible for passenger checks, controls of personnel and goods fall to the airport itself. In both cases they have contracted the task out to Kötter.
In recent weeks the airport has filed charges against Kötter because supervisors apparently issued false training certificates to their employees. The contract with the company was terminated, but this will first take effect in January 2018. It is unclear whether the defects reported by WDR can be directly blamed on Kötter. According to the WDR report, the union Verdi describes the training as still completely inadequate. “The security controls at airports undergo regular reviews.
These controls are important and allow the high security standards at airports to be constantly reviewed and further improved,” said the airport. National officials carry out inspections as well as EU testers. The airport also carries out its own monitoring.
(Original text: Ulla Thiede, translated by Kate Carey)
