IATA URGES US AGENCIES TO LOOK AT NEXT GENERATION CHECKPOINT

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- The International Air Transport Association
(IATA) has called on the United States Transportation Security Administration
(TSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to look at a next
generation checkpoint.

This, it said, should give screeners access to effective intelligence to
deliver proportional screening measures based on risk assesments.

The IATA was commenting on the new security measures introduced by the
United States following an attempted downing of the Northwest Flight 253 on Dec
25 last year.

In a statement released in Geneva on Monday, the IATA stated a lesson
learnt from the recent incident is the importance of combining screening
procedures with intelligence.

"It is critical that the DHS partner with industry to identify the most
effective and efficient ways to address this challenge going forward.

"Clearly, the air transport system cannot support 100 percent pat-down
searches over the long term," said IATA's director general and chief executive
officer, Giovanni Bisignani.

However, he said a smaller percentage of intensive pat downs accompanied by
trace detection technology, may reduce delays and achieve near-term security
requirements as the government focused on longer-term technology solutions to
address the ongoing threat.

"Therefore, it is important for the US and other governments to coordinate
security requirements and to work closely with industry for their effective
implementation," he added.

He also said the recent announcement by the TSA to replace the original
emergency requirement for 100 percent pat-down screening of all US-bound
passengers with threat-based and random screening, is a welcome step in the
right direction.

According to Bisignani, long-term, sustainable aviation security must be
globally harmonised, risk-based and have efficient processes for passengers.
-- BERNAMA


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