Management of airport security screening system effectiveness

Airports are potential targets for terrorist attacks. High level of risk inclines airport managers to take preventive measures. The decision-making process is difficult, as there have been no methods for the quantitative assessment of changes in security levels as a result of the actions taken. The aim of this study is to develop a method that quantitatively evaluates the effectiveness of security screening, based on various operating parameters of the system, which may become decision variables in the safety management process. The method uses the theory of fuzzy inference for overall assessment of the effectiveness of three key ways to secure air transport: screening of passengers, hand and checked baggage. The method based on multi-criteria group decision making was adopted for validation of the method and the developed calculation tool FASAS. The simulation experiments that were carried out allowed a practical presentation of a method for increasing security levels in medium and long time horizon. The method gives also an answer to the question about the quantitative effects of the decisions made. Application of the fuzzy inference theory enables an effective calculation tool to be developed which is usable in managerial practice.