Reactionary Air Cargo Security Directives Raise AAPA Concerns

Asian carriers are amongst the leaders in the global air cargo industry, carrying roughly 40% of global air freight.

Products transported by air make up 35% of the total value of goods traded internationally, and air cargo is critical to the smooth functioning of the global economy and everyday modern life.

Carriers operate in strict compliance with the relevant government aviation security requirements and Asian carriers are at the forefront of addressing emerging threats with government security agencies and other involved stakeholders to ensure that passenger air travel remains safe, secure and convenient.

The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) has consistently emphasised the need for government agencies and the aviation industry to work cooperatively together to maintain a secure supply chain.

Regarding the need for new security measures, AAPA Director General, Andrew Herdman said, “We long ago learned that it is human nature that each new security incident prompts a desire to introduce yet more security measures, but it takes a certain political maturity to remain calm, and not fall into the trap of knee jerk reactions by the imposition of new security measures of unproven effectiveness. Security comes at a cost, already measured in tens of billions of dollars annually for aviation alone, and new security procedures are only justified when it can be demonstrated that the benefits outweigh the additional burdens they impose on society.”

On a positive note, Mr Herdman stressed, “The key lessons from this, and previous terrorist incidents, are the critical importance of effective intelligence gathering, and the need for governments to work closely with industry in developing and applying appropriate operational measures.”

Mr Herdman concluded by saying, “We must not forget that good security is all about comprehensive threat assessment and balanced risk management, not the elimination of every conceivable risk. Terrorists measure their success by how much we over react to their provocations. Aviation security is a collective responsibility and requires effective consultation to ensure security measures are practical, cost effective and sustainable.”

See also: Video Interview with the CEO of Qatar Airways as a very interesting part of the interview covers airline security.

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