Athens to increase airport security in April

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Security at Athens International Airport will be increased four months before the start of next year's Olympics to cover final test events and the start of the tourist season.

"There will be additional measures starting on April 1, and full security will be in effect from July onwards," said Tassos Papanikolaou, head of the airport's security. He did not elaborate.

The Olympics run Aug. 13-28.

Papanikolaou made the remarks as an international aviation security conference was taking place in Athens.

The conference drew more than 700 delegates, including senior security officials from international airports and airlines, civil aviation authorities, law enforcement and various governments.

Papanikolaou said discussions at the conference -- closed to the media -- focused on biometric systems being tested at airports around the world, but added that devices such as iris scanners and fingerprint readers would not be perfected in time for the games.

Earlier this month, Greece's Data Protection Agency banned a pilot program testing biometric systems on passengers at Athens airport.

The airport's chief executive, Alfred van der Meer, said internal trials using employees would begin soon and last about three months. He argued that improved technology would limit disruptions for ordinary passengers.

Airport security is a key concern for the organizers of the first summer Olympics held since the terrorist attacks. Greece has budgeted $775 million on protecting the games and is receiving advice on fighting terrorism from seven countries, including the United States and Israel.

The Avsec World conference, held in Athens because of the Olympics, is jointly organized by a consortium made up of the Air Transport Association, Airports Council International, European Civil Aviation Conference and International Civil Aviation Organization.

The three-day meeting ends Thursday.