How Airports Maintain Operations During Security Crises

Airports are constantly undergoing continuous innovation, especially as the aviation industry adapts to uncertain times. Given their vital role in the movement of goods and passengers, having a robust business continuity plan is paramount in ensuring operational resilience and minimising the impact of unexpected disruptions, such as natural disasters, pandemics, or even security threats like cyberattacks and terrorism. 

Security crises can disrupt airport operations in just a matter of minutes. Airports must be able to pivot quickly and ensure that they maintain a certain level of service without compromising people’s safety, all while under pressure. To stay prepared, the following are some resilience strategies that airports implement to ensure continuity and minimise downtime during security situations.

Airports prepare for a wide range of security threats, ranging from cyberattacks to physical intrusions, by means of developing scenario-specific contingency plans. Depending on the situation, these plans define clear protocols for evacuation, lockdown, rerouting flights, and maintaining essential services based on realistic events that may lead to loss or disruption of service. 

To ensure that these plans are effective, airport management first conducts a comprehensive risk assessment to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities in the airport.

Once risks are identified, management will develop strategies for mitigating these risks to ensure that each scenario, be it a natural disaster or a security threat, is properly addressed. And lastly, to ensure that this is enacted, a clear and concise communication line among stakeholders and personnel is also established.

Well-trained personnel are essential during emergencies. After all, even the best emergency response plan is of no use without a well-trained team to implement it. To ensure readiness, airports conduct regular drills and cross-train staff to handle multiple roles, ensuring flexibility when teams are stretched. 

All airport staff members are exposed to emergency situations and are involved in the planned response to establish clear communication lines among all entities involved within the airport during emergency situations. This approach enables quick decision-making and maintains service levels, even when specific departments are compromised or understaffed.

Operational resilience depends heavily on backup systems. Airports invest in redundant power supplies, communication networks, and data centres to ensure critical functions can continue even if primary systems fail. This redundancy reduces the risk of total shutdown during security crises.

To cite a recent example, the cyberattack that hit Malaysia’s airports last March 2025 highlights the need for both system redundancy and proper scenario-based contingency planning.  The attack likely exploited vulnerabilities in the airport’s systems and affected flight information displays, check-in terminals, and baggage handling processes. This resulted in airport staff having to resort to manual operations until the threat was resolved.  

The incident is just among a list of cybersecurity attacks in recent history that show how crucial infrastructure and systems redundancy are when it comes to strengthening operational resilience and ensuring the continuity of essential services, especially in a space as critical as an airport. It also underscores the need for a quick response to security threats and why a robust cybersecurity defence must be maintained to prevent threats like this from occurring.

While the world of aviation security continues to advance, at its core, the success of these efforts still largely depends on how our airports foster a security culture in each step of the process. The strategies outlined here reflect that a holistic, forward-thinking approach to business continuity in the face of security disruption is key in ensuring that airports are still able to maintain functional amidst crisis situations. 

The year 2025 has seen an uptick in security disruptions in airports, most notably in the realm of cybersecurity. Bad actors understand that these disruptions can have far-reaching consequences that drastically affect not just operations but also public safety and trust.

The pressure that this can bring makes airports a prime target for attacks.  As we adapt to changing times, it is imperative that airports not only develop ways of facing evolving security threats but also build structures to stay ahead of them. 

As a response, there is a push towards future-proofing airports around the world, with Europe taking the lead in pushing technological developments in the realm of airport security technologies. 

One such example is the mandatory use of computed tomography (CT) scanners to enhance the detection of prohibited items by use of 3D imaging. Not only would this allow personnel to analyse items with greater precision, but it would also decrease the need for manual bag searches, making operations more efficient in the long run.  

Alongside the adoption of CT scanners, AI and data analytics are likely going to be integrated more into security measures, as well as the use of walk-through security scanners that use advanced imaging technology. This adoption of more advanced technology in airports could potentially improve passenger experience and add another layer to aviation security, opening the way for better contingency measures in the future. 

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