Security measures "short-sighted" says air transport body

Print Article E-Mail Article

Badly conceived security measures are hurting airlines, IATA (International Air Transport Association) director general and ceo Giovanni Bisignani has said, referring to costly security procedures that have emerged at many airports

Speaking at the AVSEC world meeting of aviation security experts in Rome, Bisignani called for a global approach to security, relying on intelligence coordination and techniques such as biometrics to contribute to positive profiling of passengers.

He also stressed that governments are responsible for protecting their citizens: "Governments should implement and pay for aviation security not the airlines, not the airports and not their customers who are already taxpayers." 

IATA said the current short-sighted security measures are costing airlines about $3bn in 2002. In addition the estimated lost business due to the "hassle factor" in the US alone is costing airlines close to $2.5bn.

Aviation security has been greatly stepped up since September 11. A year on IATA believes it is time to review the measures to ensure that they remain meaningful and efficient. The IATA Simplifying Passenger Travel (SPT) programme is already working with governments, airports and technology suppliers supporting increased security through biometric (hand print or eye) identification and passenger profiling.

"This type of coordinated industry approach is the most efficient and cost-effective" concluded Bisignani.  "Global solutions are essential if we want to keep the danger and not the passengers off the planes."