Long processing times at Säpo have been mentioned as a reason for the queues in Arlanda’s security checks.
Representatives of Swedavia have mentioned a 12-week waiting period – which Säpo believes is not true.
– Since the beginning of March, we have been on regular processing times, which are about three weeks, says Fredrik Hultgren-Friberg, press secretary at the Security Police.
State-owned Swedavia owns and operates Sweden’s airports. Yesterday, the company’s CEO was held accountable in the Riksdag’s traffic committee, about the long queues at the security checkpoint at Arlanda.
Waiting times of up to two hours have not been uncommon in the spring.
– I fully understand that as a traveler you get pissed, said CEO Jonas Abrahamsson.
Moderates: Bring in retired administrators
The reason for the problems stated by Swedavia is that it has been difficult to find staff for the security checks, at the same time as travel has picked up speed after the pandemic. But also that the Security Police’s checks took longer than usual.
In a TT interview, Swedavia’s chief operating officer Peder Grunditz states that the Security Police’s checks normally take 2-4 weeks, but that the waiting times have been up to 12 weeks. Now they are starting to approach normal levels, according to the operations manager.
– We see a gradual improvement, which is very positive, Grunditz told TT.
The information got political spin. Among other things, Maria Stockhaus, traffic policy spokesperson for the Moderates, called for the Security Police to take in retired officers. Minister of Justice Morgan Johansson should also have contributed resources to Säpo.
The Center Party’s Anders Åkesson wants Interior Minister Morgan Johansson to come to the traffic committee regarding the waiting times at Säpo, reports SR Ekot.
The security police today published a post on Twitterwhere the authority links to information on personnel security and register control.
– There has been a lot of media information about long waiting times linked to security checks regarding airport staff. Then we felt a need to clarify the role of the security police in this type of activity, says Fredrik Hultgren-Friberg, press secretary at the Security Police.
For a long time, the Security Police has regular processing times of about three weeks, the authority writes.
When were your processing times the longest, and how long were they then?
– We had a hump, you could say, around the turn of the year and until the beginning of March or so. Where, for a number of different reasons, we had slightly longer processing times regarding the register checks that we carry out. At that time, the processing times were up to six weeks. On occasion, it was even longer than that, for shorter periods.
The so-called hump was due to staff vacancies, illness and the introduction of a new digital support system for managing the register controls, according to the press secretary.
So that the checks took up to twelve weeks, do you not agree?
– Our register controls have never been up in the processing times that you mention. I think there may be a risk that the security screening in general is confused with the Security Police’s register control. Our register checks are part of a security check of personnel who are to work placed in security class.
“Ordinary processing times apply”
The other safety assessment is performed by the operator, and in the aviation context, the Swedish Transport Agency is the supervisory authority for it, says Fredrik Hultgren-Friberg.
There is currently no indication that Säpo’s processing times will be longer in the future.
– These are regular processing times that apply now and hopefully in the future.
If it may be relevant to bring in retired administrators, as the Moderates’ Maria Stockhaus is calling for, there is nothing that Säpo comments on.
Aftonbladet has applied for Swedavia.