State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I (AP I) has tightened security at 13 of its airports following several bomb attacks in East Java’s capital city of Surabaya on Sunday and Monday.

“A number of measures have been taken to improve safety and security at airports to prevent any bomb attacks,” said AP I president director Faik Fahmi as reported by kompas.com on Monday.

The company has intensified patrols around the airports, increased profiling through CCTV analyses, conducted random checks on vehicles and intensified coordination with external security forces, Faik said.

A security post was established in each airport as a coordinating center between internal and external security forces to help ease coordination if any assistance is needed, he said, adding that security officers were required to work double shifts.

“So we have at least double the number of security officers on duty,” he said, adding that Juanda International Airport in Surabaya had 723 security personnel standing guard from the usual 216.

The total number of security officers guarding all 13 airports has so far reached 3,835, Faik said.

The firm is also managing traffic in surrounding areas, with more personnel checking vehicles and guiding those approaching airport terminals.

“Passengers are advised to arrive three hours before departure to anticipate traffic because of [intensified] security checks on vehicles entering the airport,” Faik said. (bbn)