Mandatory baggage handling questions: cultural sensitivities

Abstract

Mandatory baggage handling questions have been used as part of the aviation security measures to guarantee safety of the aircraft and its passengers. The unambiguous questions are used as part of an evaluation of the threat posed by the traveller. While the responses to the questions taken alone are of limited utility, they can prove useful when evaluated in conjunction with the non-verbal behaviour of the subject. Airport security has however, as Daniel Odido explains, hitherto not paid adequate attention to the cultural peculiarities of travellers, leading to accusations of unfair profiling.