Response to Acts of Unlawful Interference and Emergency Management
From detection to recovery
An act of unlawful interference includes hijacking, sabotage, hostage-taking, bomb threats, attacks on aerodromes and threats. Response follows an emergency management cycle: mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery. At the aerodrome, the operator activates the aerodrome emergency plan, coordinates with police, fire, medical and the competent authority, and supports the incident command structure. Key operational concepts: notification, cordon and evacuation distances, rendezvous points, media and family handling, and preservation of evidence.
Concepts to master
- Bomb threat response: assessment, search, evacuation decision, cordon.
- Suspicious object: do not touch; cordon; notify.
- Hijack on the ground: isolate the aircraft, control access, support negotiators.
- Preservation of the scene for investigation.
- Post-incident recovery: reopening, psychological support, review.
Traps
- Treating every bomb threat as false - assessment must be documented.
- Forgetting evidence preservation in the rush to reopen.
- Confusing the operator's role with the police commander's role.
- Overlooking staff welfare and psychological support after an incident.
Rule of thumb
Assess, cordon, notify, preserve. Worked example: a suspicious package is found in the check-in hall. Do not touch it; cordon the area; notify police and the security manager; preserve CCTV; decide on evacuation using the pre-agreed distance.