Unscreened passenger on SYD to MEL flight results in entire flight being rescreened on arrival

[dajop]

And this article says they were required to be rescreened. Also, as noted by @Rangalad there were several flights from regional airports without screening facilities that were misdirected into the screened area.

No it doesn’t. It says :

As a precaution, all passengers on QF487 were escorted from the aircraft when it landed in Melbourne and taken through the screened part of the airport into the unscreened area –

Which implies that once out of the secure area you would not be screened again unless requiring to return to that area.

 

[Rangalad]

Is there much point if the plane landed safely?

A number of reasons mainly security. Not going to post these for obvious reasons.

 

[muppet]

The passenger who wasn't screened is currently speaking on 3AW.

He flew in from Orange and instead of being off loaded in the land side area, all passengers were let into the secure area.
He self reported at the Qantas club.

Pax from regional flights need to be screened on arrival in SYD prior to going air side.

So by this account in fact the Sydney terminal should have emptied, security searched and cleared of contraband and then all pax re-screened. Picking one flight, with one pax and re-screening on arrival seems bizarre.

Also, doesn’t Melbourne have a post flight screening point for QLink flights, why not drop pax there rather than escort through the terminal.

Whole thing makes no sense, like both airports, security and AFP actually have no plan when they identify a breach.

 

[Rangalad]

So by this account in fact the Sydney terminal should have emptied, security searched and cleared of contraband and then all pax re-screened. Picking one flight, with one pax and re-screening on arrival seems bizarre.

Also, doesn’t Melbourne have a post flight screening point for QLink flights, why not drop pax there rather than escort through the terminal.

Whole thing makes no sense, like both airports, security and AFP actually have no plan when they identify a breach.

Pre COVID that is what happened. Made the evening news.

 

[Hvr]

Here's the interview:

Melbourne Airport passengers escorted by police after serious Sydney security breach

There are claims up to 60 passengers didn’t go through the correct screening process at Sydney Airport before boarding flights yesterday, sparking traveller chaos. The issue prompted a major security operation at Melbourne Airport last night, with more than 200 passengers escorted by armed...

www.3aw.com.au

 

[docjames]

I dont understand why SYD terminal wasnt cleared and security swept too? (And the aircraft itself…..)

Sounds like it was managed as best as can be at the MEL end - escort them out so no opportunity to mingle then re-screen if connecting. Annoying but understandable.

 

[randompunter]

Reminds me of the old QFlink flights from CTL to BNE via RMA. Charleville didn't have security screening so pax were screened in Roma after already flying the first leg. Security theatre at it's finest.

 

[Yearlylonghaul]

Passengers departing WGA on Rex are unscreened and on arrival at Sydney are delivered to an area that is outside the secure area. However, passengers departing WGA on Qantaslink are screened and on arrival at Sydney, deplane into the secure area of the airport.
All passengers entering Sydney airport secure area should have been screened at some point.

 

[Franky]

Sounds

So by this account in fact the Sydney terminal should have emptied, security searched and cleared of contraband and then all pax re-screened. Picking one flight, with one pax and re-screening on arrival seems bizarre.

Also, doesn’t Melbourne have a post flight screening point for QLink flights, why not drop pax there rather than escort through the terminal.

Whole thing makes no sense, like both airports, security and AFP actually have no plan when they identify a breach.

Sounds a bit like that which ScoMo said when CV19 first arrived - 'there is no handbook on this'...

 

[SydneySwan]

Given that the pax self-reported that he hadn't been screened, could he simply have self-screened instead?