Lanzarote agents "lack airport accreditation due to the lack of foresight of the General Directorate of the Civil Guard. Some Civil Guards assigned to the César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport have had their accreditation card expired since December to access restricted areas." The Unified Association of Civil Guards points out that "all people who start working at airports need certain certifications that prove they have the necessary knowledge in operational safety.
"Currently, there are three types of certificates depending on the functions to be performed: AVSEC Certificate (Basic Security Awareness Training), a mandatory title for people who work at an airport and must access the SRA for a period equal to or greater than 30 days; AVSAF-P certificate (Basic Operational Safety Training for Pedestrians), which certifies the minimum knowledge in operational safety necessary to access the airport's movement area without accompaniment for the performance of tasks that do not involve the handling and driving of vehicles; and AVSAF-C certificate (Basic Operational Safety Training for Drivers), which certifies the minimum knowledge in operational safety necessary for unaccompanied access to the movement area of airports for the performance of tasks including those involving the handling and driving of vehicles and/or equipment in this area of the airport. The maneuvering area is excluded"; explain from the AUGC.
"From the Unified Association of Civil Guards, we are obliged to publicly denounce the shortcomings in airport training that Civil Guards assigned to the César Manrique airport have. Since last December, there have been several agents whose AVSAF-C accreditation card has expired to access the interior of the airport. Without this personal and non-transferable card, they cannot enter the restricted areas of Lanzarote airport, with all that this may imply," they point out.
Other Civil Guards have completed the mandatory courses, "but they have not yet been issued the accreditation card, so they cannot access the interior of the airport to perform their duties or drive vehicles on the platform. If they do so, they would be violating Law 21/2003 on Air Safety and could be sanctioned with fines ranging from 45,001 to 225,000 euros, depending on whether it is serious or very serious. In the event of an accident, they would not be covered by the mandatory vehicle insurance due to the lack of necessary accreditations," details the AUGC.
It has been learned that "they are trying to redirect the situation and have delivered AVSEC cards, which do not authorize driving on the platform, and have also provided those affected with "visitor" cards, so that those who have expired accreditation can continue working, always accompanied by another Civil Guard who does have a valid accreditation and identification card," they point out.
AUGC demands that the General Directorate of the Civil Guard "increase the number of agents who can carry out these training classes of a periodic nature. It is not admissible that in one of the most important airports in Spain there is only one Civil Guard Agent authorized to impart this training. As has happened now, in case of vacations, permits or illness, the courses are not taught."
"All Civil Guards who work at airports must also be trained in aircraft intervention techniques and be provided with non-lethal weapons, such as taser guns. It is increasingly common for them to have to take people off planes who endanger the integrity of the passengers. And many times it is due to the consumption of alcohol and/or drugs, which end up with injured Agents as has already happened on other occasions. It is not admissible that those who must enforce the law can end up violating it due to poor organizational foresight"; concludes the AUGC.
