Antigua’s Airport Security over kill

I am aware that maximum security is required for air travel because of the treacherous time that we live in but, the Caribbean island of Antigua took their security screening to a new level. My experience on the island during a stop-over flight from Dominica to Puerto Rico was astounding and to me frustrating. This stop was part of my eight (8) island swing through the Caribbean region gathering new information on Caribbean cruises and vacationing in the region.

My travel reservations were made with the regional airline Leeward Island Air Transport (L.I.A.T.) instead of the “American Eagle” which has direct flights from Puerto Rico to Dominica. On disembarking the aircraft we were taken through immigration where our documents were checked with boarding pass for accuracy. We then went to security for the electronic scanning of our hand luggage and complete body scan. I noted that individuals on the same flight who were traveling international were ushered to a different departure lounge from us who were domestic travelers. In the departure lounge we mingled with other passengers who were also traveling through the Caribbean.

The airline lived up to its reputation of being late as our flight was delayed due to maintenance problems. Frankly, I was not unhappy with the delay as technical problems do crop up unexpectedly. I was pleased when our flight was announced from what was a terrible intercom system, which was not audible if you were some distance from the gate.

I was surprised to see all passengers in line at our departure gate were being screened a second time before their arrival at the airline counter. This security check involved a physical pat down and a physical search of all hand luggage. Keep in mind that we had gone through an electronic scanner before entering the departure lounge. I thought we were in a secured area and the only contact we had with non travelers were the vendors who I assumed were approved by the Antigua authorities for operating their shops. If the shop vendors are smuggling items via passengers then Antigua has a serious credibility problem.

After leaving the manual pat down our passport and boarding passes were check at the gate by the airline personnel and they retained a portion of the boarding pass for their records. Our walk on the tarmac was uneventful until we arrived at the steps of the aircraft where a large number of bags were sprawled underneath the aircraft wings. We were asked to identify our luggage for placing same on the aircraft before we were permitted to enter the plane. On completion, I prepared to board the aircraft but was stopped at the base of the stairs and asked for my boarding pass and passport by another security person. With a sigh of relief, I climbed the aircraft stairs only to be confronted in the aircraft door way by the flight attendant asking for my boarding pass once again.

I understood that that the Airport terminal was recently up graded, but I consider the so called improvements a disaster. I do not see the necessity of six (6) different screening of domestic passengers. I am aware that the airline will be charged penalties for transporting illegal individuals and merchandise to the U.S. but, a better system needs implementation to avoid so many checking of documents. The action by the Antigua authorities is annoying and will be a big deterrent to visitors wishing to travel to Antigua especially when tourism is an integral component of the islands economy. I wish to recommend a thorough review of the current system by the tourism authority to make domestic travel via Antigua airport more pleasant to the traveler.

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