No additional airport security screening for under-18s, Canadian public safety minister says

Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said the airlines do not need to pose extra security-screening measures for passengers under the age of 18. His comment came following the incident where a six years old child was denied to take flight on Dec. 31.

There were number of reports showing toddlers having denied to take flights, which compelled the minister to take a valid decision on the matter. Six-year-old Syed Adam Ahmed was listed on no-fly list when his name appeared with a “DHP” or “deemed high profile” label.

His father posted the photo of the incident on Twitter, which the minister promised to investigate. The family was to board an Air Canada flight for Boston to watch the NHL Winter Classic on New Year’s Eve.

“Public Safety Canada officials have now contacted air carriers to clarify the application of the existing Secure Air Travel Regulations, emphasising to them that additional security screening validation is not required for individuals under the age of 18,”Goodale said in a statement on Thursday evening.

Goodale also said that he understood what the travellers were going through because of the interrupted plans that seemed necessary based on the false positives indicated from security screening. “We have heard the concerns of those who have gone through additional security screening that this situation can cause confusion and feelings of stigmatisation,” he added.

Public Safety Canada’s initiative Passenger Protect Program created the first no-fly list in 2007. The public safety department noted on its website that passengers with similar names like a person on the no-fly list might face delays while checking-in.