01/08/09, 17:07:37 UTC

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NL airline could face $100,000 fine for security breach

canada.com

Transport Canada is investigating an alleged security breach at St. Anthony Airport in Newfoundland.

The allegation involves a Provincial Airlines employee who was allowed to board a flight to St. John's apparently without going through security screening. If regulations were broken, the airline could be fined up to $100,000.

A spokeswoman for Transport Canada, Tracey Hennessey, said the allegation was made by an employee of Nav Canada who witnessed an unmarked vehicle enter the main apron of the airport from an unsecured gate.

"It was also reported that an individual then boarded a Provincial Airlines flight to St. John's with what appeared to be unscreened baggage," Hennessey said.

In media reports last week, airline spokesman Bob Halliday said the man was an employee of Provincial Airlines. He said the man was escorted by security personnel and there was no security breach that affected the safety or operation of the aircraft.

St. John's Independent identified the man as Gus Ollerhead, the company president. Hennessey would not confirm that report.

Calls to the Provincial Airlines office at the St. Anthony Airport were directed to the airline's St. John's headquarters.

Calls there were not returned, nor were messages left with the airport authority in St. Anthony.

"Our security branch is looking at the whole thing (to see) if there's any infractions under the Aeronautics Act and to see that all appropriate measures were carried out," Hennessey said.

She would not say if the man was an airline employee, but that whether he was or not, wouldn't affect the investigation. "It's being handled the same as for any individual," she said.

The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, the federal Crown corporation responsible for airport security, is aware of the allegation. But a spokeswoman, Brigitte Caron, said the decision to allow the man access to the runway was made by local Transport Canada and airport authority personnel.

The St. Anthony Airport is owned and operated by Transport Canada.

Caron said CATSA's regional manager was "completely bypassed" by the airport authority.

"This was a decision made by (Transport Canada) and the airport authority," Caron said. "This was not a CATSA incident and CATSA has no involvement in it."

If proven, the alleged incident would be considered a breach of airline security rules, Transport Canada's Hennessey said. Those rules require all carry-on bags to be X-rayed and all passengers to pass through a metal detector at a pre-board screening.

St. Anthony doesn't have an X-ray machine, but baggage is searched and all passengers have to submit to a metal detector, she said.

Hennessey said it's the first such allegation to be reported to Transport Canada in Newfoundland since heightened security rules went into effect after 9/11.

The investigation began June 26, the day of the alleged incident. A Transport Canada investigator was at the northern Newfoundland airport late last week to take statements from everyone involved, Hennessey said.

"We're speaking with all personnel, including people who work at the airport, CATSA, airline personnel, anybody that could help us with the investigation.

The airline could face a maximum $100,000 fine, while the passenger could face up to $5,000 in fines.

"We take any alleged security breach very, very seriously. Nothing happened as a result of it, but we are taking it seriously," she said.

 Printable Version  | published Jul 11, 2007