MAJOR Australian airports should consider increased sec-urity, including restricting non-travelling relatives from ter-minals, face-recognition tech-nology at entrances and an increased armed presence to help protect against terrorism, according to security experts. 
Following the Istanbul att-ack and the   March airport bombings in Brussels, which killed 41, the Australian Federal Police yesterday increased its airport presence and told airlines and terminal operators to review security in public areas.
Security consultant GK Solu-tions director Gavin Queit said authorities should toughen human and technological protective measures in Australia, including increased security on approaches to terminals.
"In direct response to the events in Turkey, the AFP has enhanced its presence in the publicly accessible areas of Australia's major airports," a spokesman for the Office of Transport Security in the -Department of Infrastructure said.
"Security measures at airports are constantly under -review by the government, given the current volatility of the threat environment.
"We need to balance our -reactions to these tragic events with ensuring that we protect our freedoms." Australian Strategic Policy Institute deputy director Dr Anthony Bergin added: "Sadly, we've got to have a think about restricting loved ones, family wellwishers and others (who are not travelling).
"We've got to think about the numbers of people who are allowed to be around the arri-val and departure halls - by reducing that you are reducing the concentration of people." Dr Bergin said it was time for another review of air security following the airport attacks overseas.
But Intelligent Risks chief, Neil Fergus, who led a review into layered security at Australian airports, said recommendations from it and the 2005 Wheeler review meant Australia had a rigorous and effective system.
"We are still on a very good standing," he said.
Pre-emptive intelligence and preventive policing was the key to disrupting terrorist attacks, something borne out in Belgium where authorities had credible intelligence but failed to properly act, he said.
Mr Queit said Australia should consider some aspects of the security measures in place at Tel Aviv airport, with numberplate and facial recognition giving early detection of watchlist suspects before terminal entry, greater use of bollards and traffic management to keep car bombs from terminals, which are fitted with explosion-resistant glass, intense human surveillance and -increased training for armed guards.
"Some of those things are in place in Australia. Unfortunately, what is missing is a highly trained protective force," said Mr Queit, whose company -advises on corporate and government protection.
"Every time you create a queue or a crowd of people at major infrastructure, that crowd is vulnerable." The quick responses of heavily-armed guards during both the Brussels and Istanbul attacks, probably saved lives and prevented terrorists from gaining deeper access to the airside of terminals, he added.
But ANU research fellow and terrorism expert Dr Mich-ael McKinley said travellers faced a greater threat from terrorism in the Middle East and Europe, where multiple groups were capable of and intent on carrying out attacks.He said while consultants could always find ways to -increase security at Australian airports, a balance between -security and efficiency of travel had to be found.