Airport security personnel requirements
The Aviation Transport Security Act 2004 (ATSA) allows the Australian Government to classify an airport in Queensland as a security controlled airport and imposes a range of security-related obligations on the airport operator.
The obligations include having licensed airport security personnel present to:
- patrol airport grounds
- conduct on-board security
- screen people, vehicles or goods for prohibited items and weapons, either when entering a secure zone or boarding an aircraft
- physically restrain and remove people from airports
- undertake general security-related functions within public terminals
The Australian Department of Home Affairs publishes a list of security controlled airports.
Under the ATSA there are 2 primary categories of security personnel authorised to perform security work at a listed security controlled airport. (This excludes Australian Federal Police, Queensland Police Service law enforcement officers, as well as Australian Defence and Customs personnel, all of who are covered separately.)
The 2 categories are:
- airport screening officer who is employed to work in a specially designated area, to carry out such duties as operating luggage and body scanning equipment
- airport security guard who conducts a range of other security functions, not related to screening.
ATSA also requires an airport security guard to be licensed as a security guard in the state or territory the airport is located within. In Queensland, this means they must be licensed under the Security Providers Act 1993 (SPA).
The ATSA does not require an airport screening officer to hold a licence under the SPA. If you do not hold the appropriate security licence under the SPA, you must not carry out the functions of a security guard or advertise that you do so.
If you work as a screening officer and at certain times undertake extra duties that an airport security guard would at a security controlled airport, you must obtain an SPA licence from the OFT.
More information
- Guidance sheet for security personnel within Queensland airports
- Email: Oft.compliance@justice.qld.gov.au