The latest bomb threat at the Cyril E. King Airport, while a hoax, has nonetheless created a heightened regard for security. Airport manager Barbara Ricketts said Friday that security is a normal priority, but the possibility of bomb threats increasing means paying even closer attention to detail.
"It puts us on more awareness and in a state of readiness," Ricketts said, adding that officials are always alert to suspicious behavior by people arriving at the airport.
The public, Ricketts said, is an important element in airport security. She would like to see travelers as alert at home as they are when abroad.
"When we travel, we tend to look around and know what is going on around us and we take precautions we don’t ordinarily take at home," she said.
Ricketts urged everyone to be observant. "If you see bags or suspicious packages, call the airport or police authorities right away."
Despite the two bomb pranks this week and the reactions they require,
Ricketts said the King Airport continues to meet the security standards of regulators and the industry.
"We are tested on these issues regularly," she said. "Our certification manuals are certified by the federal government, the FAA conducts annual and sometimes quarterly testing, and in general the V.I. Port Authority is qualified to run the airport in the manner it does."
