Airport security lapses exposed

SECURITY at two of France's busiest airports has been called into question, after a pair of undercover journalists successfully boarded planes with a gun in their hand luggage.

Staff at Paris Charles de Gaulle and Marseille failed to detect the semi-automatic pistol, which the reporters had dismantled into two pieces, with each passenger carrying half in cabin bags.

The journalists boarded a morning flight from Charles de Gaulle to Nice on November 8. They then took an evening flight from Marseille back to Paris, without being stopped by X-ray checks.

The report, which will be broadcast tonight, blames the state's decision to outsource airport security to private companies and says staff are not adequately trained.

Linda Bendali, one of the journalists who took part in the experiment, told France Info: "The security agents were attentive - that wasn't the problem.

"It was a lack of understanding of what they were supposed to be looking out for. They are not very familiar with dangerous weapons.

"During their training, they do not get to manipulate weapons or see them physically. They don't really know what they look like."

Air security expert Christophe Naudin told TF1 News: "I'm not surprised at all. Getting a weapon through security is still possible because the measures, as they are applied today, are not really effective.

"Private firms are capable of doing an excellent job, but they must hire the right people. Today, sadly, that is not always the case."

The French national police authority, DGPN, refused to comment until it saw the full report. Aéroports de Paris and management at Marseille airport also declined to comment.

The report will be broadcast in Envoyé Spécial tonight at 20.35 on France 2.