Security and consolidation dominated the agenda at the seventh Annual Aviation Conference held in Dublin yesterday. The two-day conference, which had been set to talk about new routes and expansion, was instead focusing on securing aircraft cockpits, introducing new airspace controls and contemplating the impact of a looming threat of war after last Tuesday's terrorists attacks on the US.
The Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, congratulated the organisers and attendees for going ahead with the conference despite the recent atrocities in the US.
"What has happened is a huge challenge for everyone. Terrorists are about bringing nations to their knees and if you bow down that is what the terrorists want. By being here you are expressing that will to survive and to keep the business going."
Sir Gil Thompson, president of airport strategy Manchester Airport and marketing and organiser of the event, said this was a time for cool, measured thinking and planning for the future.
"We want to send out signals of confidence, with security our first priority, to make it safer for people to travel," he said.
The methods used by the terrorists last week meant security measures had to extend to securing the cockpit. "Until now highjacking was about staff and passengers but since Tuesday last this had all changed," Ms O'Rourke said. "We must now look at the airplane as a potential weapon, so clearly there has to be far more rigorous implementation of security."
She said this was going to affect every airline but was hopeful that with this determination to increase security it would give people confidence to travel.
"Travel is an intrinsic part of life now. I have no doubt that Aer Lingus will come up with a good plan on how they are going to deal with this."
The Minister said the National Civic Aviation Committee was meeting on Monday and the introduction of stringent safety measures was its top priority.
"There is going to be increased security and passengers will clearly have to come earlier to airports and there will be much more rigorous scrutiny of luggage and of people to make aircraft and air travel safer."
The burden of improved security lay with the airport authority, Aer Rianta, the Minister said, but each airline will also have its own increased safety measures.
She said it was too early to say what the cost implications of these measures would be.
"No we have now idea what money will be involved - the first determination is not the money, it is safety and an increased awareness of security. It is far too early to talk about cost. Whatever it takes that is necessary."