Press Release regarding the images in the social media about the body search of THY passengers by a police dog at the Vienna Schwechat Airport

Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Dışişleri Bakanlığı 19.10.2017

Some visuals appeared in the social media of a customs officer making a police dog sniff the passengers and their belongings that were waiting for boarding THY flight at the Vienna Schwechat Airport. Thereupon, inspections were made at the airport the same night by our Consulate General in Vienna.

It was learned that such searches are made rarely and upon denunciation, and for all airlines.

Moreover, our Embassy in Vienna has drawn the attention of the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the inappropriate search procedures that appeared in the visuals and the Ministry was asked to warn the relevant Austrian authorities, particularly the customs officers.

The Austrian authorities have committed to be more sensitive in such controls.