General (ICAO)

ICAO Annex 17 — Security: Safeguarding International Civil Aviation Against Acts of Unlawful Interference is the central international source for aviation security (security in the sense of protection from unlawful acts — distinct from safety, which is operational safety).

Main objectives (Annex 17 §2.1):

Protection of passengers, crew, ground personnel, the public, aircraft and ground installations from acts of unlawful interference,
Prevention of attacks, hijacking, sabotage and other crimes against civil aviation.

Obligations of Contracting States (Annex 17 §3):

Establish a National Civil Aviation Security Programme (NCASP),
Designate a competent authority for implementation,
Security screening at airports (passenger/baggage/cargo screening),
Protection of security areas (sterile areas) via access control,
Personnel training in security,
Response to unlawful interference (contingency plans).

Obligations of operators (Annex 17 §4):

Aircraft Security Programme,
Passenger boarding with valid ID,
Cockpit protection (reinforced door, access control),
Crew training in security procedures.

Key definitions (Annex 17 §1):

Acts of unlawful interference — acts that jeopardise civil aviation safety, e.g. hijacking, hostage-taking, bomb threats, sabotage, forced entry into security areas, cyber-attack on aviation facilities.
Sterile area — area beyond screening to which only screened persons have access.
Screening — application of technical or other means to identify weapons, explosives or other dangerous articles.

Europe (EASA / EU)

EU security is comprehensively harmonised:

Regulation (EC) 300/2008 — Aviation Security Framework Regulation with annex on common basic standards.

Implementing regulations:

Regulation (EU) 2015/1998 — detailed measures (screening, access to sterile areas, cargo security),
Decision C(2015) 8005 — confidential measures,
Regulation (EU) 2019/103 — personnel reliability checks.

Responsibilities:

EU Commission: framework law,
Member State: National Security Programme (NCASP equivalent),
EASA: has no primary competence in security (unlike safety) — main responsibility lies with the EU Commission and Member States.

Categories of security-relevant areas at EU airports:

Landside (public),
Airside (controlled area),
Security Restricted Area (SRA) — only screened persons,
Critical Parts — highest protection level (cockpit areas, baggage sorting).

Prohibited items (Reg 2015/1998 Annex 4-C):

Weapons, ammunition,
Explosives and pyrotechnics,
Tools ≥ 6 cm,
Blades, scissors ≥ 6 cm,
Blunt impact instruments,
Liquids > 100 ml in cabin baggage (except in transparent 1-litre bag with ≤ 10 containers of ≤ 100 ml each).

Germany (national)

Legal basis: Luftsicherheitsgesetz (LuftSiG) of 11.1.2005 — transposes Annex 17 and EU law.

Competent authority: Federal Police (Bundespolizei, BPOL) is responsible for passenger and security screening at German commercial airports (BPOL security officers and screeners). Oversight: Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI).

A security officer per airport coordinates measures locally.

General Aviation (GA): At VFR airfields typically no systematic security screening, but pilot obligation to verify passenger ID before boarding; airside access only with valid boarding pass or pilot ID.

Cockpit security (as of 2026): since 2003 reinforced cockpit doors with double-door procedure mandatory in commercial transport aircraft.