Customs officers face unhappy travellers

University experts have been called in by the WA Customs Service to deal with tired, irritable or unhappy air travellers.

Customs approached Murdoch University to help them deal with passengers in difficult situations of conflict.

The work is timely, given the likely influx of thousands of extra passengers associated with trips to the Olympic Games next year.

"Customs was looking for a better way of managing and communicating with passengers coming through Perth's international airport," said Psychology Associate Professor Alex Main.

Two Doctor of Psychology students spent six months on practical placement at the airport watching, interviewing and carrying out focused discussions with customs officers.

The research involved some intense discussions and some interesting findings, according to Professor Main.

Following this, said Professor Main, the students put together a number of scenarios to be used as a teaching medium, or professional training package, to be presented as a half or full-day training course for customs officers.

Student supervisor, Murdoch's Pauline Arnold, added that the findings could also be used as less-formal, or impromptu, debriefings, after an event.

"The scenarios were not developed from what the students saw, but from what customs officers had told them," said Ms Arnold.

"They are scenarios customs officers are familiar with, and feel would make useful learning opportunities for their peers and new officers.

She said the students were most interested in how customs officers dealt with people from a preventative perspective i.e. effective management rather than damage control.

"New schemes have also been developed for the Sydney Olympics entry programme next year when huge and diverse numbers of people will be arriving from all over the world," said Professor Main.

"Our work could add to this."

Murdoch student Fulvio Penna, who worked with American exchange student Steven Feland, said the professional training had been well received and formally accepted by the Customs Regional Director.

But, he said, it was up to Customs management as to when and where the training would be implemented.