Business Aircraft Safety and Security in Light of Domodedovo Strike

Photo:  Dassault Falcon Jet

Monday's suicide attack at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport that killed 35 and injured 180 people, 49 of whom remain hospitalized, was a brutal reminder of the vulnerability of commercial air travelers traversing public areas of air terminals in many parts of the world. The sheer volume of masses going to and from commercial jetports makes it impossible for security officials to screen everyone who walks onto the property.

That harsh reality reinforces the safety and security advantages of arriving and departing an airport in a business aircraft. At most FBOs that I've used, all visitors are personally greeted by front desk personnel who quickly determine the purpose of their visit and how best to assist them -- or have them escorted off the property, if they don't have a reason for being there.

Equally important, business aircraft crew and passengers usually spend very little time inside the FBO or GA terminal when they arrive or depart the airport, thus there's a relatively small window of time during which they're potentially exposed to ground-based threats. Business aircraft passengers aren't stranded in the terminal, queued up in check-in, security, baggage or taxi lines.

Often, business aircraft passengers proceed directly to or from the aircraft by private vehicle and they spend no time inside the terminal at all. Upon arrival from foreign airports, immigration, customs and agricultural officials usually inspect documents and baggage onboard the airplane. After being cleared by officials, they can proceed directly to their final destinations.

At a time when many companies are rethinking the cost of operating business aircraft, the value of the enhanced safety and security benefits of traveling by business aircraft may be priceless.

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