The lone reported incident of carriage of firearms on an aircraft was on a domestic flight, Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji’s executive manager aviation security-facilitation Rigamoto Aisake has clarified.
Responding to an article in The Fiji Times yesterday, which stated CAAF had recorded an incident of carriage on an international flight and that there were also other substantiated claims of unauthorised carriage of firearms, Mr Aisake said the article insinuated firearms were carried onboard international flights with ease and without approvals.
He said CAAF took its regulatory responsibilities seriously and there were no incidents on record related to internationals flights.
While responding to questions from the Standing Committee for Foreign Affairs and Defence on “cases of high-level people or politicians bypassing security checks when exiting and entering aircraft”, Mr Rigamoto said they had one reported incident of carriage as well as a number of unsubstantiated reports because people were unwilling to submit .
“We received unsubstantiated information in that respect,” he said.
“When I say unsubstantiated, people do not put it on paper.”
He did not specify which flights were involved.
He did explain that under Regulation 13 of the Civil Aviation Security Act, passengers were required to seek approval from the Commissioner of Police, CAAF and the airline operator, and it was the airline who had the final say.
He said Regulation 13 allowed for the carriage if the passengers sought the appropriate approvals.
“Regulation 13 of the Civil Aviation Security Act specifies the provision for the carriage of firearms in the aircraft,” he said.
“That is in the cabin. Regulation 13 outlines that the person who is responsible for the carriage of firearms will need to do that if he or she is on official duty.
“He or she will need approval from the Commissioner of Police, CAAF and the aircraft operator. The aircraft operator is responsible for everything that goes on board the aeroplane.
“He (operator) has the final say. So the carriage of firearms under Regulation 13 is in the cabin, for example protection officers, close protection officers on their persons they go on the cabin. Under Regulation 13 they need that.”
Mr Aisake said this also applied to bodyguards, adding that weapons carried in the aircraft’s cargo hold were also regulated.
“Carriage of firearms in the hold comes under ANR (Air Navigation Regulation) 29 whereby the firearm is put in the hold of the aircraft, again the issue of approval from CAAF for carriage in the hold must be sought.
“There is a difference when firearms are carried in the hold.
“It does not pose any danger to the aircraft or to passengers because it is inaccessible.
“When firearms are in the cabin, it is within reach of persons within the cabin, so those are the two instances.”
