Expo security beefed up with aviation security officers

• Source: Global Times
• [16:15 February 23 2010]
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By Duan Wuning

Shanghai based China Eastern Airlines released on their website 20 February that they are recruiting 60 part-time aviation security officers, to get prepare for the upcoming World Expo beginning May 1st.

The Global Times yesterday confirmed with Mr Luo Anping from China Eastern’s Communication Department, that these part-time aviation security officers will not be armed. They will also perform some service work on the plane. No specific date has yet been given as to when these officers will finish training and start their work.

According to the company’s online want ad, applicants must be male Shanghai citizens under the age of 25 that hold Shanghai hukou. Target applicants should be college graduates, current China Eastern employees and retired soldiers. Applicants will be tested February 24 and 25. Qualified candidates will go through the same training and strict physical training as full-time aviation security officers do.

According to current civil aviation regulations, at least one security officer should be assigned to each flight.

China Eastern currently possesses over 200 jumbo jets, and runs more than 500 global and domestic lines. For the World Expo, the airline will use 20 more jumbo jets and have 300 more flights each week. They plan to see a volume increase of five million people during Expo, and revenue is expected to exceed 4 billion yuan ($585.6 million).

Official figures say there will be over 70 million visitors to Shanghai during the 6 month period, and air travel will be under strict security.

The Expo Coordination Bureau estimated that among the 70 million visitors, 5 percent will be from abroad, and 45 percent will be from other provinces.