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1240/5(3623)
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY DEPUTY G.C.L. BAUDAINS OF ST CLEMENT
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 15th JANUARY 2008
Question
Would the Minister advise whether he has had contact with Gatwick Airport authorities regarding the problems Jersey passengers have experienced in accessing onward connections as through passengers' and, if so, can he give an assurance that the matter is now resolved and that passengers from Jersey with onward connecting flights will no longer have to check in through security for a second time?
Answer
Officers from Jersey Airport have had contact with the authorities at Gatwick Airport regarding the handling of Jersey passengers both through the North and South Terminals on a number of occasions. Accordingly, I am able to advise the Deputy as follows:-
The Department for Transport require all passengers arriving from potential 'unsecure' airports in security terms, to be searched on arrival prior to entering the lounge. This is to stop a prohibited item gaining entry to the airport's restricted zone from an overseas destination where security may not be as tight. The item could then be taken onto a flight departing the UK.
The construction of Gatwick (history) is such that there is no separation between arriving passengers who are transferring to International Departures. Passengers from all destinations are all mixed together at the immigration/transfers area. The Department for Transport concern is that a prohibited item could be passed from one passenger to another at this point. Therefore all passengers going through transfers are re-screened irrespective of their original departure point before they can enter the lounge.
If Gatwick was ever reconstructed the authorities could look at creating a transfer route for known 'secure' passengers (i.e. those from Jersey) that kept them totally apart from 'unsecure' passengers. Such a route would not then need security screening. I am advised that there is no likelihood of this happening in the future.
I can further advise the Deputy that this is not an issue for Jersey alone, the same rules apply to all transferring passengers who arrive from UK airports like Glasgow, Manchester, Aberdeen and who transfer to international departures.
We will continue our dialogue with the authorities at Gatwick in an effort to minimise, where we can, the difficulties of transiting through that airport.