Australia’s smaller airports rife with vulnerabilities, former Qantas security head says, after alleged gunman boarded Jetstar fligh
Australia’s smaller and regional airports are rife with security vulnerabilities, industry insiders have warned, after the dramatic citizen’s arrest of a teenager who allegedly boarded a Jetstar flight with a shotgun and ammunition. Police charged a 17-year-old Victorian boy with a range of offences, including unlawfully taking control of an aircraft, orchestrating a bomb hoax and possessing a firearm. There is no permanent police presence – either state or federal – stationed at Avalon airport, near Geelong, about 50km south-west of Melbourne, where the alleged offences occurred. This is the case for most of the nation’s airports that are not designated to meet the security threshold required for such measures. The lack of police has raised alarms within the aviation sector. On Thursday afternoon, the teenager allegedly broke through the airport’s security fence dressed in hi-vis and with tools. Witnesses said they believed he was a maintenance worker. He then walked up to a plane on the tarmac – Jetstar flight 610 – where about 150 passengers had boarded the Airbus A320 bound for Sydney.Shortly after entering the cabin, crew and passengers noticed he was allegedly carrying a shotgun and ammunition. Former shearer and boxer Garry Clark, from seat 1C, tackled him to the ground. Clark and other passengers performed a citizen’s arrest, and had to wait for state police from the local area command 9km away to arrive and take the teen into custody. The Transport Workers Union, a key aviation union that represents ground workers among others, sought an urgent meeting with Jetstar on Friday to call for a review of security arrangements at Avalon airport, operated by transport logistics company Linfox. While it hosts few commercial flights – about 20 daily departures and arrivals combined – these are all operated by budget carrier Jetstar, which markets the airport as serving Melbourne. Avalon’s air fares have a slightly cheaper base rate than services from Melbourne airport in Tullamarine, a shorter 14km from the city.<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2025-03-10/general/australia2019s-smaller-airports-rife-with-vulnerabilities-former-qantas-security-head-says-after-alleged-gunman-boarded-jetstar-fligh
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Australia’s smaller airports rife with vulnerabilities, former Qantas security head says, after alleged gunman boarded Jetstar fligh
Australia’s smaller and regional airports are rife with security vulnerabilities, industry insiders have warned, after the dramatic citizen’s arrest of a teenager who allegedly boarded a Jetstar flight with a shotgun and ammunition. Police charged a 17-year-old Victorian boy with a range of offences, including unlawfully taking control of an aircraft, orchestrating a bomb hoax and possessing a firearm. There is no permanent police presence – either state or federal – stationed at Avalon airport, near Geelong, about 50km south-west of Melbourne, where the alleged offences occurred. This is the case for most of the nation’s airports that are not designated to meet the security threshold required for such measures. The lack of police has raised alarms within the aviation sector. On Thursday afternoon, the teenager allegedly broke through the airport’s security fence dressed in hi-vis and with tools. Witnesses said they believed he was a maintenance worker. He then walked up to a plane on the tarmac – Jetstar flight 610 – where about 150 passengers had boarded the Airbus A320 bound for Sydney.Shortly after entering the cabin, crew and passengers noticed he was allegedly carrying a shotgun and ammunition. Former shearer and boxer Garry Clark, from seat 1C, tackled him to the ground. Clark and other passengers performed a citizen’s arrest, and had to wait for state police from the local area command 9km away to arrive and take the teen into custody. The Transport Workers Union, a key aviation union that represents ground workers among others, sought an urgent meeting with Jetstar on Friday to call for a review of security arrangements at Avalon airport, operated by transport logistics company Linfox. While it hosts few commercial flights – about 20 daily departures and arrivals combined – these are all operated by budget carrier Jetstar, which markets the airport as serving Melbourne. Avalon’s air fares have a slightly cheaper base rate than services from Melbourne airport in Tullamarine, a shorter 14km from the city.<br/>
