Authorities on Thursday said security has been heightened at Los Angeles International Airport and other airfields in response to the crash of an EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo that may have been due to a bombing or terrorist attack.
“The safety and security of passengers, airport workers, and visitors is our number one priority,” Airport Police Sgt. Belinda Joseph said. “In light of EgyptAir flight MS804, which disappeared over the Mediterranean Sea, we have heightened our security posture and enhanced our counter-terrorism security measures at our Los Angeles World Airport airports.”
LAWA is the City of Los Angeles department that owns and operates LAX, LA/Ontario International Airport and Van Nuys Airport.
“We are constantly assessing intelligence and events, both domestically and abroad,” Joseph said. “We constantly review the security measures we have in place, and will enhance and improve security as needed. While we can’t discuss specific details, airport security is everyone’s responsibility, and we encourage people that if they `See something, Say something’ (by calling) 877-A-THREAT.”
The heightened measures coincide this week with long waits for passenger check-in—sometimes as long as five hours—because of decreased TSA screener staffing and a TSA security system that reportedly slows down each time a screening machine shows potentially prohibited items.
